It may be necessary to react to what was revealed in local newspapers about someone who was suspended from Hillside Christian College in Walvis Bay, over apparent racist rants.
The accusations are very serious and cannot be ignored by the citizens of this country. We need to strive to live in peace, and unity, respecting one another. The Namibian constitution is clear on this matter. In its preamble, it is stated that we recognise inherent dignity, the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family, right of the individual to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, freedom, justice, peace, religion, creed, etc. It is further provided in Chapter three of the constitution that “the dignity of all persons shall be inviolable, all persons shall be equal before the law, no person may be discriminated against”. These rights and other human rights are undeniable and indispensable. It also states that these rights have for so long been denied to the Namibian people by colonialism, racism and apartheid. Now, in independent Namibia the fundamental rights and freedom enshrined in the constitution shall be respected and upheld by the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, all organs of government and its agencies and by all natural and legal persons in Namibia, and shall be enforceable by the courts. Since Namibia finally emerged victoriously in our struggle against colonialism, racism and apartheid we are under obligation to promote amongst all of us, the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Namibian nation. We also have to strive to achieve and maintain national reconciliation and foster peace, unity and common loyalty to a single state. Our constitution clearly states that no person may be discriminated against on grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.
When it concerns family issues it is clear that our constitution provides that men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, creed or social or economic status shall have the right to marry and found a family.
We are people of a country with diverse cultures, but our constitution is clear on the issue that every person shall entitled to enjoy, practice, profess, maintain and promote any culture, language, tradition or religion.
However, this is subjected to the terms of the Namibian constitution and should not impinge upon the rights of others or the national interest. I have mentioned all these to strongly make a point and firmly emphasize that the practice of racial discrimination and reviving the ideology and practice of apartheid under which the majority of Namibian people have terribly suffered for so long, shall never again be tolerated in this free and independent Namibia.
It is, indeed, a fact that practicing apartheid and racial discrimination has been rendered criminally punishable not only by our laws but also by international legal instruments. Those who want to revive this apartheid racial discrimination should remember that most of us had spent many of our years fighting against South African apartheid regime. Many of our people died during this apartheid rule.
It is indeed provocative and insensitive for any person to engage in apartheid type of utterances where such person is quoted as having said that civilization is not made for black people, and this is why the infrastructure has collapsed in the last 30 years.
The last 30 years mentioned are surely those during which Namibia was independent and was ruled by the black people of this country. Those black people who have been in office or government structures during these 30 years are ministers, judges, members of parliament as well as prime minister and heads of state. If one reads carefully, these Honourables are among the ones being instructed that “let that sink into your rotten smelly mouth, go back to the bush and eat your rotten food like your forefathers”. This person needs to accept the reality that the Namibian people had engaged in a fight for total liberation of the entire country, which means that they will rule the country in its entirety. What kind of liberation would it have been if some parts of the country were reserved for white colonial oppressors and blacks were confined to living in the bush? How can a person who is in this country of ours which we liberated through protected armed struggle has the audacity to insult our respected leaders in this way? This person also went berserk to say that “infrastructure (of this country) has collapsed in the last 30 years”. However, if any person goes through the independence avenue of Windhoek you will see new big and beautiful buildings which were constructed within the 30 years that are referred to in the utterances of this person who clearly disrespects the black people and clearly the majority of the population of Namibia.
Let me with due respect remind this person who seems to think that cities and towns belong only to white people and that black people should go back to the bush, that person should know that all these places belong to the black people whom this person is instructing to go back to the bush. The people that this person has the audacity to insult are the rulers and owners of every inch of land of this country. Black people of this country will surely not leave their country and go rule Holland, from where this persons forefathers originated. Gone are the days when white colonialists left their European continent and thought that Africa belonged to them. In fact, it must be understood that the protracted struggle of the Namibian people was not against whites as people. The struggle was against racial discrimination, humiliation, oppression and unending exploitation of blacks by colonialists who happen to be white. Unfortunately the exploiters and opressors and colonisers of blacks were whole white in colour. Our white compatriots who are well mannered and respect black people and are ready to live in peace in Africa, are indeed sons and daughters of this black continent. But if they wish to not live with black people on their own continent we will surely not prevent them from going to Europe, from where their ancestors hail. We are now fighting against poverty and misery which was left in this country by prolonged apartheid rule, therefore, those who harbour racist attitudes should refrain from provoking a situation which will only cause harm, and fighting amongst ourselves. This person apparently resides in Walvis Bay and is unable to see the development which changed that town, the safe, tarred roads which have been built within the 30 years to which is referred.
Be that as it may, what is really pleasing and needs to be applauded is what is said to be the reaction of the leaders of the school where this person is a teacher. Those leaders have distanced themselves from these unbecoming utterances.
The stance they took is indeed timely and give pleasure and satisfaction to those people of this country who suffered and were humiliated by this degeneracy and uncalled for utterances. May I conclude by saying that we are masters of our land of the brave. The destiny of our great country and its people is fully in our hands. Therefore, there is no way that we are going to allow our land to be ruled by or under people who are not patriots of our motherland. Even if we may be faced with hard hitting times we shall never succumb to such challenges. We have the tenacity and patriotism to destroy all the challenges.