OMUGULUGWOMBASHE – President Hifikepunye Pohamba has made it clear that soldiers who fought for the colonial government under the South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) and Koevoet cannot be recognized as war veterans.
The Head of State, speaking at the unveiling of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) fighters’ statue on Wednesday at Omugulugwombashe in Omusati Region, said the ex-colonial government soldiers are free to benefit from the old age government allowance, but not from the benefits that the Ministry of Veterans Affairs is distributing to former PLAN fighters who fought for the liberation of the country from the South African colonial occupation forces.
Pohamba was recounting the early battle days that started at Omugulugwombashe on the very grounds where now stands the statue of the first-ever freedom fighters gathered in a combat planning session. Pohamba acknowledged those who gave their lives for the struggle and those still alive who made contributions, citing how instrumental they were in PLAN during their revolution against the apartheid stronghold. The site where the first battle was planned and took place in August 1966 is now a national heritage. Pohamba recounted how the liberation fighters smuggled weapons into the country, calling out the names and roles of freedom fighters such as the late Kahumba Kandola, Isak Shoome and John Otto Nankuthu. He also spoke of how he was flogged surprisingly by his own people, and not the white oppressors as expected.
“I am asked to give veteran status to the [SWATF/Koevoet]. I will not give veteran status to killers, and if they continue to threaten as they have been, if they want to go to the bush, we will meet them there. They talk about national reconciliation, but national reconciliation has its borders. If you go beyond the borders you are opening up wounds. We will not deny them the pension as accorded to old-age citizens, but they will not be given this money that is administrated by [Minister of Veterans Affairs] Nickey Iyambo,” Pohamba emphasized, adding: “They must go to South Africa, but I will tell [South African president Jacob] Zuma not to accept them.”
Leaders of the Namibia War Veterans’ Trust (Namvet), which is an organisation for ex-members of SWATF and Koevoet, recently demanded that such former soldiers be recognised as veterans so that they can benefit from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs grants for war veterans.
The President recounted an earlier incident where political supporters were found to carry weapons to rallies, and urged all Namibians to have peaceful elections, and that no more blood must be shed in Namibia. The Head of State further announced that all fallen heroes and heroines, irrespective of where they are to be buried, would be accorded a full state funeral. – • Additional reporting by Nampa
By Loide Jason