Katima Mulilo
Several returnees repatriated from Dukwe are resolute they have not experienced any political or social victimisation since their repatriation supervised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
They are saying the socio-political environment prevailing in Namibia is conducive for the safe return of the 938 Namibians before the December deadline, contrary to reports being circulated by hardliners at the refugee camp.
The governments of Botswana and Namibia in collaboration with UNHCR have made impassioned appeals to the 938 refugees still holed up in Dukwe to register for voluntary repatriation, cognisant of the fact that the socio-political environment in Namibia is harmonious and peaceful for their safe and dignified return to their motherland.
Slightly over 900 Namibians are still residing at Dukwe that has been their home for the past 17 years following the short-lived secessionist rebellion that erupted in August 1999 at the instigation of exiled renegade Namibian politician, Mishake Muyongo, and his rebels who were dealt a crushing blow by the Namibian army.
Around 3 000 Namibians fled to Botswana to seek political asylum following the August 1999 rebellion engineered by Muyongo, but after successive repatriations only 938 Namibians still remain at Dukwe that has been their home for 17 years.
These successive repatriations have taken place despite particularly Muyongo’s acolytes spreading gossip that those wanting to start afresh and opting for repatriation could face prosecution and victimization back home. One of the returnees repatriated in 2005, who strictly spoke on condition of anonymity due to social stigma and disgrace still associated with the events that led to the August 1999 rebellion, reiterated there is no political, social harassment, abuse or persecution of the 2 000 refugees repatriated thus far.
The returnee, who is currently employed in Katima Mulilo after a seven-year self-imposed exile, revealed that fears at Dukwe appear to be mainly driven by job insecurity as many of the Namibians in Dukwe managed to get menial work in Botswana as farmhands and in other odd jobs that they would not want to quit. Some of the more enterprising African refugees at Dukwe are said to have established shops at the camp that also hosts refugees from Somalia (370), Ethiopia, Zimbabwe (729), Rwanda (42), Burundi (73), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (636) and other African countries (45).
From the interviews conducted with some of the returnees it became obvious the reluctance of those still sheltered at Dukwe is spurred by the fact that they would not want to swop a relatively “stable life” for the uncertainties of repatriation.
“Namibian refugees in Dukwe are afraid to come home and face economic hardships and they would rather stay in Botswana where they are employed as labourers and at a garage near the camp,” revealed the returnee who said that on average Namibian labourers at Dukwe earn 1 200 pula (N$1 400) per month.
Another element beguiling the stay of the Namibians and other refugees at the camp is the fact they receive daily food rations such as maize meal, cooking oil and beans from the UNHCR.
“Since our repatriation in 2005, none of us were arrested and contrary to reports being spread around the camp there is no victimization, harassment or persecution. The only problem facing us is the lack of jobs,” said the returnee.
The father of five children suggests the Namibian government should give them the same preferential job treatment it accorded Swapo returnees upon their arrival from exile where they went for many years to fight for the country’s liberation.
Though the returnee says Dukwe refugees are not getting any jobs, Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Sampofu says many of the returnees who were teachers before they left for Botswana have successfully reintegrated and have since been reemployed as teachers. Sources at Katima Mulilo also said there is no economic discrimination of the people being repatriated from Dukwe. They gave the example of Ivan Kabunga who was successfully reintegrated and he is now entrenched in business after he secured lucrative construction tenders from government at the expense of companies operated by Namibians who did not flee the country to the refugee camp at Dukwe in neighbouring Botswana.
Another returnee successfully reintegrated is Conrad Walubita a former DTA regional councillor, who is slowly crawling his way back into politics at least at village level at Singalamwe where he was incorporated into a village development committee (VDC). On the sidelines Walubita who refused to be interviewed – as he still appears to have an axe to grind – drives his own taxi. Martha Kutenda, a resident of Divundu who fled to Dukwe in 2000 and whose husband is still a refugee, has appealed to others still in Dukwe to return home. She reiterated that there has been no victimisation from her fellow villagers or relatives and from the police or from members of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) since her successful tripartite repatriation in a group of others in 2011.
“There has been no political harassment either from the police or from members of the Namibian army. I have started a new life and I am even registered for drought relief food just like other villagers,” she told New Era.
Maria Makayi, who is Martha Kutenda’s cousin and was also at Dukwe until her repatriation in 2011, also said she is unaware of any victimisation though she asserted the only difference is at Dukwe where they received regular UNHCR rations of maize flour, beans, cooking oil and paraffin for cooking.
Sampofu, the Zambezi regional governor, stated: “They (Dukwe refugees) are welcome, they can come back as our government says they are all welcome to come back home before the deadline of December lapses.”
“The socio-economic situation is very much conducive to every person, to every Namibian, to participate in all socio-economic and political events. The only thing we will not allow is no one will be allowed to come and mobilize for the United Democratic Party (UDP), which is banned in Namibia,” he said.
“The event (uprising) of 2nd August 1999 only happened that year. Since 1999 the political, security situation in Namibia is calm. If they are scared they are scared of the unknown. We are saying the political situation in Namibia is calm. If there are any other issues that they are afraid of let them clear these issues with us,” further stated the Zambezi regional governor.
“Some of the refugees who came back from Dukwe who were teachers went back to their profession of teaching. There are some who are business people and I know one who is a musician,” said Sampofu.
He revealed that some of the repatriated refugees were recruited by the Namibian Defence Force while others received jobs in the Namibian Police Force.
On the request from one of the returnees to have jobs specially reserved for those being repatriated from Dukwe, Sampofu explained: “We don’t have special jobs for any person. We have a high rate of unemployment but we don’t discriminate against any person. We treat everyone equally.”
Tina Ghelli the spokesperson of UNHCR in Southern Africa echoed Sampofu’s sentiments, saying: “UNHCR believes that the situation that led to the Namibians to flee the country no longer exists and therefore cessation of refugee status can be declared by the government of Botswana.”