KEETMANSHOOP - Landless People’s Movement (LPM) Petrus Josob, said the party’s //Kharas regional political action committee has in the strongest term denounced and condemned what he termed as deplorable threats uttered against the leadership of the party including Bernadus Swartbooi.
He said this in a recent press statement availed to New Era.
Swartbooi drew the ire of the National Union of Namibian Workers, war veterans and other quarters from the ruling Swapo party that have recently in the strongest term condemned him for having called Founding President Sam Nujoma a “thug and a liar” during a heated debate on the national reconciliation that is before parliament. “Our commitment to speak truth to power is unparalleled and our resolve to fight for restorative justice is uncompromising,” Josob emphasised in the media statement. He further said LPM is in the process of fully briefing the entire membership of the political movement within the //Kharas region about the threats being made against their parliamentarians and in specific their chief change campaigner Swartbooi.
He gave assurance that LPM members are on full alert and will thus not tolerate any threats against their leadership. “The inspector general of the Namibian Police must immediately investigate the threats made against the LPM Members of Parliament in order to ensure their safety,” he stated.
The statement further reads that open and robust debate and free-speech are key tenets of a constitutional democracy and that LPM will never tolerate any threats nor any form of intimidation being directed towards its leaders. “The inhabitants of the //Kharas region continue to face hunger, poverty and landlessness, notwithstanding the abundant natural resources,” Josob stated.
He said in light of that, the ruling “elite” cannot expect any respect from the citizenry, whom they have subjected to poverty and landlessness.
The document also articulates that there is a need to urgently conduct a robust national debate in order to dissect the narrative promulgated by the government. “Further, we must conduct a national debate on the nation’s state project with a view to harness genuine nation building and ultimate reconciliation,” the LPM leader suggested. Josob also said restorative justice is an imperative ideal which must be incorporated in order to achieve national reconciliation, adding the Namibian society has suffered many atrocities including genocide and apartheid racism. “We need the principle of restorative justice to guide our policies in order to bring healing and restoration.” Josob further regarded LPM emerging as a living reincarnation of a “lost” spirit and tenacity of courage and daring and in addition a trailblazer, rekindle and mover. “LPM is certainly a game-changer, it offers a game-changing perspective beyond the status-quo of yesterday, today and tomorrow’s Namibia.” Various leaders and institutions like the Council of Traditional Leaders, Namibia National Liberation Veterans Association (NNLVA) and Swapo party //Kharas coordinator in recent statement condemned Swartbooi for calling Nujoma a “thug and liar.” NNLVA president Ben Shikongo was quoted saying “calling Dr Nujoma a “thug and liar” in parliament is unpardonable and must be vehemently condemned,” The article further stated Shikongo calling on the speaker of the National Assembly to apply the chamber’s code of conduct and lay charges against Swartbooi and Seibeb and look at the possibility of permanently removing the duo from the August House with immediate effect.
– sklukowski@nepc.com.na