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Reply With QuoteWell, after independence Gwen became increasingly Anti-Swapo and started associating with any lunatic-fringe party that came along ......
Aluta Continua!
In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister So, it seems the witch-hunts that are SWAPO's trademark are continuing. On the party's web site is another crude attempt to portray and paint The Namibian's editor Gwen Lister as unpatriotic, anti-Namibian and anti-Swapo. here's the line of attack:
The underlying reason for these attempts to not only paint Lister and The Namibian - but also other progressive Namibians who do not say hail and amen to everything that is SWAPO - in such a negative light is that hearing, reading and being confronted with the truth hurts, and it hurts even more if the truth is out there. And the turth hurts even more when there is a means of disseminating it.The attitude of the editor of the Namibian newspaper Ms. Gwen Lister has been anti- SWAPO PARTY and Anti-Namibia. Ever since her newspaper got on the website,every article on the front page of that newspaper portrays negative issues towards SWAPO PARTY, Namibia or SWAPO PARTY leaders. The world opinion is being negatively influenced and poisoned against our country, our party and our leaders.
Another reason is that some SWAPO members truly believe that SWAPO=NAMIBIA and that NAMIBIA=SWAPO. Well, it ain't. SWAPO is one of many parties. Namibia belongs to all the people of Namibia, and any Namibian has the right to speak out where and hwen he/she sees things that he/she think are not right, whether anyone else agrees or not.
Instead of playing ball and responding to the criticism(s) by disproving them, by countering them with facts, by engaging the critics with rational discourse, SWAPO attacks the messenger(s). It's an old political game, and it fools nobody. SWAPO and its attack dogs will do everything in their power to destroy truly progressive and enlightened critics of its words, actions and record because it knows that sooner or later its record will not stand up to closer scrutiny.
After all, you can only fool some of the pople some of the time, not all of the people all of the time.
To suggest that Lister and The Namibian are anti-Namibian and unpatriotic is as ridiculous as it is to suggest that all that the SWAPO Government has and continues to do for the country is bad and negative. It is simply not true. AS a ruling party for over 15 years SWAPO surely has done some good. The fact of the matter, though, and this is what many SWAPO members simply do not want to hear, is that the overall record is not as good as it could have been, and downright dismal in some respects.
Take corruption. To say that corruption is destroying the economic and moral fabric of our young nation is not only a truthful statement in itself but also a reflection of the fact that SWAPO has is not on top if it despite its efforts, such as setting up the anti-corruption commission. Is corruption SWAPO's fault? No, how can it? Is the fact that corruption is flourishing on its watch SWAPO's fault? Yes, it is, because the party is not deploying the resources and means at its disposal to truly fight corruption and some of its members in the Government and public service are firm members of the 10% club.
Any truly patriotic Namibian would face this truth and do something about it. SWAPO chooses to use its energies trying to destroy the messenger(s) of this truth.
I for one have the highest regard for The Namibian and Lister. The newspaper and its editor are highly regarded and respected throughout the world. Are The Namibian and Lister perfect? Far from it, and neither would they claim to be, I'm sure.
Play the ball, SWAPO, not the PLAYER.
Last edited by Comrade007; 15th August 2009 at 11:47 AM.
"Nothing is complete and thus nothing is exempt from criticism." - James Luther Adams:
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Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister Well, after independence Gwen became increasingly Anti-Swapo and started associating with any lunatic-fringe party that came along ......
Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister It's simple my friends. Because attacking the messenger says more about the attacker than the messenger. Political bankruptcy is when politicians attack persons, not focus on issues. Political party like SWAPO is not in position to say with a straight face "look we know you are right but give us a chance" because they have had chance for so long, haven't they? Is like they want to be in power but also not have to face up to responsibility and have humility to admit own shortcomings. Is also bad omen for your country. We had the same happen here under Moi. Nyayo and KANU also attacked their critics,because what else could they do? It was so obvious what their record was on things like corruption so they start playing the player, and not the ball. Sounds to me SWAPO is starting to do the same. Mugabe and ZANU-PF did same, and so will ANC in South Africa withh time.
Tim Hortons Coffee Nut!!
Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister it's the job of the free press to inform us readers of the good and the bad goings on in the government.
If you think The Namibian is any different then most all newspapers in the world then you are sadly mistaken.
The Namibian is tame compared to what we see in the US and elsewhere ..
The Namibian in my opinion is holding back from REALLY telling it like it is.
Soon .. telling it like it is will be changed to telling what THEY allow
power corrupts , absolute power spends my taxes on really really stupid things.
Senior Member
Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister Mense, mense! Ons weet mos almal dat The Namibian and Gwen Lister dinge stel soos hulle is. Die SWAPO comradtjies wat haar nie smaak nie is bedondered dat mense soos Gwen en die journaliste van The Namibian en ander koerante die reg het om dinge te stel soos hulle dit sien. Dit maak hulle mal, en hoe meer waarheid in die stories is, hoe meer bedonnerd raak hulle. For me, it's a matter of the louder en histeiries hulle skreeu, hoe meer is The Namibian reg en SWAPO onkant betrap -alweer..... So comradtjies - what are you going to do? Show your true colours and silence The Namibian by any means at your disposal? Ne? Go for it! You would'nt surprise anyone if you did.
Senior Member
Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister Gwen Lister is only reflecting what we know so well in dirty politics ... an opportunist in politics and in her occupation, which is the best business ... to mis-lead fools and stupid idiots.
Away with the agents that burden so many people with their cruel or unjust lies!
Gwen Lister's newspaper, are run as is the case with the AZ (Allgemeine Zeitung) from their Hamburg based office in Germany.
Shut down these news papers in Namibia, its poison for reconcilliation and nation building.
Senior Member
Awards: Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister Mindfactory,
The AZ's server may be in Germany, but I can guarantee you they are working from Namibia ... unless Stefan Fischer, Eberhard Hofmann, Doro Grebe, Dirk Heinrich, Kirsten Kraft, Erwin Leuschner, Arne Putensen, Wiebke Schmidt, Sybille Schott and their colleagues sit the around the whole and and twiddle their thumbs ... which i doubt!
Hostname Allgemeine Zeitung Namibia - Nachrichten mit Charakter ISP 1&1 Internet AG
Country Germany Country Code DE (DEU)
City Unknown Region Unknown
IP Address 87.106.71.105 Postal Code Unknown
Flag DE Latitude 51
Longitude 9
As to the Namibian. Gwen may be many things, but her office is run out Windhoek's John Meinert Street. That is Namibia - if my memory serves me right!!
Hostname the Namibian: Top Stories ISP MTN Business
Country South Africa Country Code ZA (ZAF)
City Cape Town Region Western Cape
IP Address 196.31.243.42 Postal Code Unknown
Flag ZA Latitude -33.9167
Longitude 18.4167
Aluta Continua!
Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister What you call poison to nation-building and reconciliation is the oxygen of our freedom; the life-blood of our open society. The right to dissent is the foundation of any progressive society. If we listne to you, mindfactory, the only right we would have is to file our tax return - nothing more.
"Nothing is complete and thus nothing is exempt from criticism." - James Luther Adams:
Senior Member
Awards: Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister Mindfactory,
I am just re-reading your drivel. You talk about "reconciliation and nation-building" and then you go on and post some mindless diatribe .... where is the nation-building in that.
Is that what YOU call reconciliation?
If so, then I'll rather have none of yours ....
Re: In defence of The Namibian and Gwen Lister Gwen Lister and The Namibian have done more for Namibia than many of the SWAPO politicians who are now trying to intimidate its staff and cajole them into writing what they think is the official line. To argue that Namibians should remember that SWAPO brought freedom of speech to Namibia in the first place is not to strengthen the call for more freedom of speech but a crude attempt to extract loyalty and an indirect threat thhat this freedom could be taken away. Let us remind all Namibians that freedom of speech and the right to dissent is an inalienable human right and SWAPO has no place and no right and no mandate and no basis to give it or take it away!!
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