WINDHOEK – The Namibian Exile Kids Association (NEKA) says the reason why government is not attending to their long dragged out quest for employment is because there is division in Swapo.
“There are those who support our cause and there are those who are against us. We were told by Swapo top cadres that they are not united and not everyone is supporting us. They feel we are trying to get their piece of cake,” said NEKA Secretary General Rauna Amutati who on Friday addressed a packed hall of ‘struggle kids’ who gathered in memory of the late Frieda Ndatipo who was shot dead on Wednesday near the Swapo head offices during a fracas between them and the police.
The group including those camping at Okahandja Park where the Ndatipo lived were joined in solidarity by other ‘exile kids’, some of whom have been well integrated into society.
Amutati said the whole issue of government not attending to their request for jobs is political.
Amutati referred to Andimba Toivo ya Toivo’s statement made in 1966 during his trial in South Africa when he said Nambian political prisoners were “not to be prosecuted in South Africa because we are not South African, but Namibian.”
Hence NEKA wants to know why does Swapo deny children of the liberation struggle the right to claim from Swapo when they are children of Swapo.
“It’s political and this will not stop here. We never sent ourselves into exile to suffer and now that we are back we are still suffering in our country. They say we are sent and that someone is behind us. Who sent us and who is behind us? It is disturbing that the party we were born in is denying us the same right which our forefathers and more recently our parents died for, yet they sit and ask for patriotism – patriotism to what and whom if we may ask? What is for sure is that Swapo has begun digging its own grave,” she said.
Regarding Ndatipo’s death, NEKA vowed that they would ensure that justice is served and that the culprit be brought to book. “We are mourning our comrade who was killed a day after Heroes Day when our parents died. Her parents died the previous day and she dies the next day. Where did you ever hear such things? As NEKA we condemn it. We are hearing propaganda that the shot that killed her came from us. We will make sure justice is served,” Amutati said.
Amutati says the “arrogance of Swapo has shown its face”.
“The hypocrisy of our Swapo Party by a few who continue to deny us what is due to us, whilst serving their own interests have come to eat us alive just before the elections, how sad, really sad.”
When asked what NEKA has done regarding the death of one of the group, who was assaulted last year by the police during yet another demonstration, she said the death was not due to police brutality as reported.
“We followed it up and from the report of the doctor he died due to tuberculosis (TB). When we asked the police if their brutality did not contribute, they said investigations would continue,” Amutati said.
NEKA also threatened to engage their lawyers for any legal advice on the issue of police brutality which the group says has become the order of the day for months if not years.
“The unskilled or untrained police officers that are walking the streets of Windhoek must be dealt with. Otherwise every other person is a walking corpse. We urge all the children of the liberation struggle and the sympathisers to stay calm during this difficult period whilst we seek justice. Any further major and peaceful demonstrations will be announced in due course.”
NEKA has appealed to any good Samaritan who wishes to assist the family with funeral arrangements for Ndatipo plus money for her three children to deposit their contributions into NEKA’s account at First National Bank, branch code 280172, account number: 62243946714, Windhoek, Main Branch.