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News and Information
Press Releases [1]: ANOHTER CHTT DEMISE IN LESS THAN A MONTH [2]
| June 1, 2010 |
 Posted by lorenz on May 31, 2010 - 07:55 AM
May 30 2010
Namibia’s National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) is increasingly becoming suspicious about the exact causes of the deaths of several marathon Caprivi High Treason Trialists (CHTTs) while in custody at the Windhoek Central Prison since 1999. Like Derick Bumayi Ndala (c.41) who died on April 28 2010 followed by Ben Tommy Munzie (c.49) who passed away on May 23 2010, former school inspector Richwell Mukungu Matengu (age unknown) died last Friday allegedly following a short illness, NSHR has reliably established.
The human rights monitoring and advocacy organization has also reliably been informed that at least three of the latest detainees died within a few days or hours after complaining of chest pains.
Namibian Police Officer Commanding the Public Relations and Liaison Division, Col Hophi Hamufungu, reportedly confirmed last Thursday that both Ndala and Munzie--both of them former Police officers--have died of “natural causes”. However, Col Hamufungu reportedly declined to give any further details on the cause of the two men’s deaths.
“Hence, we call for a thorough independent and impartial investigation into the exact causes of the deaths of these people about 70 percent of whom we regard as purely political prisoners and or prisoners of conscience”, said NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh yesterday afternoon.
Matengu hailed from Lisikili village, some 20 kilometers east of Katima Mulilo, the regional capital of the Caprivi Region, while Munzie and Ndala were natives of the Savero and Sachona villages, some 70 and 100 kilometers south and west of Katima Muliulo, respectively.
Following Matengu’s demise, the death toll in the ranks of CHTTs has risen to close to 19 people. Virtually all of the CHTTs have been subjected to gross and systematic torture and or other cruel, inhuman degrading treatment or punishment during pre-trial interrogations by the Police and other members of Namibian security forces.
Between 300 and 500 Caprivians were rounded up and subjected to grave human rights violations during a State of Emergency, which former Namibian President Sam Nujoma had imposed in the Caprivi Region, following an alleged secessionist attack on three State installations in the region on August 2 1999.
In case of further inquiry, please call Steven Mvula (Mobile: 081 291 2948) or Phil ya Nangoloh (Mobile: 081 129 9886) or office hours Tel: 061 253 447 or 061 236 183 or E-mail: nshr@nshr.org.na
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Source: www.nshr.org.na |
| http://www.nshr.org.na/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=1340 |
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