FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE




NSHR strongly condemns the cowardly stabbing of Constable Nakumbwata. The human rights body is calling upon citizens to refrain from all and any acts of violence, in the breadth and width of the country, aimed at Police officers for whatever reasons.



The above activist, later identified as a certain Ndishishi “Sigo” ya Nambinga (age unknown) is a resident of either Omadhiya or Oshifukwa village, between 1 to 5 kilometers west of Omuthiya. He allegedly also tried to stab a male police officer, human rights monitors said. This prompted the male police officer to shoot ya Nambinga several times in the stomach.



Both Constable Nakumbwata and ya Nambinga were rushed to the Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital where the latter had undergone an operation. Ya Nambinga was said to be in a critical condition. Unconfirmed reports say that he later died on the operation table.



The violent incident occurred on the premises of the HA-NA-HE Butchery CC, property of Ms. Pendukeni Ithana at the town.



“If the previous provocative conduct and the inflammatory public pronouncements out the mouth of Pendukeni Ithana in particular were taken as a pointer, then this bloody incident does not surprise anyone. It is a foregone and logical conclusion. The violent acts and the provocative posturing by SWAPO Party supporters in recent weeks are clearly reflective of the aggressive and repugnant public behavior by especially those die-hard SWAPO Party leaders commonly known as the ‘Omusati clique’ and also those in charge of the said party’s youth wing. As we have already warned and we are repeating now that, unless Ithana and the likes of Elijah Ngurare (also known as Ngulale) are reined in sooner, these runaway extremists have the capacity of plunging this country into havoc and mayhem. Little do they seem to know that all Namibians have the right to join any political parties of their choice, precisely as provided for in the Namibian Constitution”, said NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh.



In addition to being SWAPO Party Secretary General, Ms. Ithana is a SWAPO Party Member of Parliament and the country’s Minister of Justice as well as the country’s Attorney General.



The violence-ridden SWAPO Party election rally was originally convened in the name of former SWAPO Party President Sam Nujoma. However, it was addressed by, among others, Ms. Pendukeni Ithana, Governor ya Ndakolo and Health Minister Richard Kamwi, after Nujoma apparently failed to turn up all of a sudden. Deputy Ministers of Labor, Home Affairs and Health, Peter Ilonga, Theopolina Mushelenga and Petrina Haingura, respectively, as well as Ondonga King Immanuel Elifas and his wife also attended the rally. Around 1 000 people, most of them bused in from other parts of the country, also attended the said rally.



Both Ithana and ya Ndakolo use the opportunity to launch personal attacks on NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh, inciting SWAPO Party supporters “even you children” against the country’s top human rights monitor and defender. In addition to ya Nangoloh, personal attacks and other inflammatory epithets were also hurled at rival Rally for Democracy Party (RDP) leaders, including its interim President Hidipo Hamutenya (HH), Secretary General Jesaya Nyamu, Oshikoto Regional Coordinator Ismail Shailemo and Omuthiya Constituency Coordinator Lieutenant (ret.) Moses “Kamoo” Amkoto.



Another unidentified SWAPO Party supporter had allegedly grabbed, torn up and buried an RDP membership card belonging to Jackson Amkoto (30) also yesterday. This incident occurred at approximately 19h00 at the New York City Bar also at Omuthiya, allegedly in the presence of SWAPO Party Regional Councilor Henock ya Kankoshi of Onyaanya Constituency, in the Oshikoto Region.



In yet another incident of violence, four male SWAPO Party supporters in the Ohangwena Region attacked at an RDP member, in the process inflicting serious bodily harm on the 30-years old Toivo ya Ndahomenwa. This incident took place at approximately 19h30 on February 1 2008 at or near Okahenge village, some 25 kilometers north of Ondangwa. Ya Ndahomenwa was admitted to the Engela Lutheran Hospital with a badly swollen right jaw. He was later discharged pending further medical examinations.



Ya Ndahomenwa has since laid a criminal charge against his assailants at the Ongha Police precinct.



Furthermore, NSHR is investigating allegations that ya Ndahomenwa’s attackers had previously also assaulted yet another RDP supporter, a certain Sakaria Johannes, at the same village.



“Ms. Pendukeni Ithana and her cohorts are now repeating what they have been sowing sown. After the recent violent incidents as well as provocative posturing aimed at RDP supporters and now this ugly incident at Omuthiya, there is no more doubt, if ever there was any, as to who really is threatening the peace and stability in this country. Ithana must bear full responsibility for the bloodshed that had occurred and for all other acts of provocation by SWAPO Party supporters as had occurred at her election rally and her premises as well as elsewhere in the country. Why can’t she emulate, among others, Jesaya Nyamu by publicly and unambiguously also calling upon her supporters to treat members of the rival political parties with civility. Otherwise more acts of violence would occur in the future”, ya Nangoloh warned.



Meanwhile, RDP interim President HH yesterday once again urged supporters “not to respond to acts of provocation in order to avoid conflict in our country” coming from SWAPO Party members. HH was addressing between 800 and 1 000 supporters at the Epako soccer field at the town of Gobabis, in the Omaheke Region, some 200 kilometers east of the Namibian capital.



Speaking at the same occasion before HH, RDP Secretary General Jesaya Nyamu also urged supporters “not to view members of other political parties as enemies, but to treat them with civility”. RDP Information Secretary Kauku Hengari also urged RDP members to “ignore the provocation” which were coming from two SWAPO Party hecklers who also attended the RDP rally at the town.