By: Ludorf Iyambo and Claudia Immanuel
Former liberation fighters who reside at the Katutura youth complex in Windhoek took their anger to the streets on Monday as they asked the United Nations (UN) to explain why it failed to reconstruct, rehabilitate and resettle them.
The former liberation fighters holding UN High Commissioner for Refugees flags, also known as the UN Refugee Agency said they are not going to give up until the organisation answers them.
The veterans also asked the UN to explain the funding that according to them was promised during exile.
Furthermore, they claim that since they came from exile they were not given what they were promised by the UN.
“We were only given R10, a pot, a panga, and a mattress in 1989 to start with a new life,” said the chairperson of the former Plan combatants, Matheus Nangolo.
They also questioned why Namibian refugees who were repatriated in 1989 are not treated like other refugees in the world.
“In the entire world, the veterans were sorted out. Even UNITA has sorted his people out and even those who were trying to make Caprivi another country were sorted out. Why can’t the UN come out and explain to us who they give our money to, because we cannot ask the government as there was no government by then?” questioned Nangolo.
As they were singing and chanting liberation struggle songs, they were also carrying posters writing “Swapo threw us away after we freed the country. The United Nations should explain why it failed to reconstruct the rehabilitation and resettle us. We are requesting the public to support us in any efforts. Why the refugees from Dukwe (Botswana) were not treated the same way as we were treated in 1989 by UNHCK.”
The protest was to express their feelings on how the UN allegedly ignored them without replying to their letters.
The war veterans also warned the government not to interfere with their discussions as they need answers from the UN.
The group has since been demanding resettlement payment, claiming that the UN has provided such funds to the Namibian government.
However, their claims have been denied by both the UN and the Namibian government.
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) commissar Michael Amushelelo joined the veterans to show his sympathy and solidarity.
Amushelelo said that NEFF is ready to help any Namibian who feel oppressed, exploited and anybody who feels like the government owes them something.
“These are just ordinary Namibians as you can see. Some are old, some are young and they are just asking what was promised to them. The government could have sorted these people out with the money they use to build Swapo headquarter or the money that the Swapo government gets from Kalahari holdings,” said Amushelelo.
He described the government as not caring. He added that if the government cannot fulfil its promise, how will they fulfil the 1.6 million of young unemployed Namibians further questions how will it deliver to one million people living in shacks.
“We are asking the government to please come on the table and ensure that whatever these people are supposed to receive they receive it. We understand very well that the UN at the time has given money to some individuals, and some of those individuals are still alive. So, to those individuals we ask you nicely to please come and assist these people and give them what is due to them. If that is not happening, we will see what other means are at our disposal that we can use in order to get it,” he stated.
He also questioned that, until when people will continue marching in the country? “you will never find white people marching, you will never find white people demonstrating, unless they are demonstrating for gay rights and all these funny things. When it comes to issues of water, jobs, electricity and housing you will never find white people demonstrating, why is it the case? It’s because they are still advantaged people. We only speak about the previously disadvantaged people, but we never speak about the still advantaged individuals in this country. So, our message to the UN and the current government is to please come and meet these people and just meet their demands,” said the NEFF commissar.
