Namibia: History haunts Nujoma

2007-07-31 19:55

Windhoek - A Namibian human rights group said on Tuesday it had filed a request with the International Criminal Court to investigate the country's founding president over the disappearance of thousands of people.

In its submission to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) accuses Sam Nujoma of gross human rights violations as well as responsibility for the disappearance of about 4 200 people during his country's struggle for independence.

"The ICC sent us a letter earlier this month that they would decide on our submission," said NHSR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh.

A spokesperson at the ICC, based in The Hague, confirmed the submission had been received but said no decision had been taken.

'Never to be seen or heard of again'

"We sent a letter acknowledging receipt (of the letter) and will look into it (the accusations)," the spokesperson said.

Nujoma, who ruled Namibia from independence in 1990 until standing down in 2005, is blamed by the NSHR for the disappearance of detainees under the care of the South West African Peoples Organisation (Swapo), the guerrilla movement that became the party of government after independence from South Africa.

Among them were Swapo members held in underground cells at the movement's base in exile in southern Angola for many years - who were accused of being spies for apartheid South Africa - "never to be seen or heard of again".

Additionally, 370 Swapo fighters were said to have been killed in April 1989 when they crossed from Angola into Namibia.

Nujoma was commander-in-chief of the Peoples Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) and also commander-in-chief of the Namibia Defence Force after independence in 1990.

During 1994 and 1996, Nujoma declared a state of emergency along the northern border with Angola, where 1 600 people allegedly went missing, ordering security forces "to shoot on sight."

"The Nujoma administration constantly refused to explain and investigate their whereabouts," the NSHR submission to the ICC stated.

'Issuing death threats to a female journalist'

Nujoma and his former defence minister Erkki Nghimtina are also accused of gross human rights violations during the suppression of an unsuccessful secessionist attempt in the north-eastern Caprivi region.

An NDF colonel, Thomas Shuuya and retired defence force chief Solomon 'Jesus' Hawala are also cited in the NSHR submission.

Last August, Nujoma came under international scrutiny when the UN special rapporteur on human rights accused him of issuing death threats to a female journalist and the chairperson of a war veterans organisation.

There has been no reaction so far to the accusations from Nujoma, who is still the nominal leader of Swapo.

Namibia is one of the 105 countries which are party to the ICC, the world's first sitting tribunal to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor is the only African head of state to have so far been put in the dock of an international court for war crimes. Taylor is being tried by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone which for security reasons moved his trial to The Hague.

- AFP