News and Information

THE CAPRIVIAN NATION HELD HOSTAGE BY THE SWAPO REGIME OF NAMIBIA
March 15, 2012
It is that time again, when we all should dig deep, keep stalk, and remind ourselves of where we come from. A time to reflect on issues affecting us, as a people, in the troubled land of our fore-fathers. Our enemy is relentless in their unwavering efforts to destroy our identity as a last nation to attain freedom and independence in Southern Africa. It was not coincidence when the then Prime minister of Zambia enacted Barotseland into one Zambia , One Nation, and most importantly, when he persuaded Mr. Nujoma and Mr. Muyongo to join hands in a merger that never saw sun rise because it melted in the cold before it even began. There was a reason for all these to take place in 1964 and some of which was to take power from the people and consolidate it into the hands of the few.

We need not be reminded of the outcome of such arrangements as the other part enormously suffered hard blows because consequences of their action came back to haunt them. Just like the other part, the Caprivi Case, can be chronicled from time immemorial to date as history clearly depicts the road people took and still do to freedom. Like many other nations, Caprivians never wavered in their quest for freedom; they continued to walk and talk the talk, what is still required is unity of purpose in order to reach the Promised Land. We continue to be reminded that, even in the times of Moses, hurdles were all over, but with faith and endurance, they managed to get there at last.

It is not by sheer luck that many Nations before and after us attained freedom, but it comes through hard work and sacrifice. We have lost many friends and family members and continue to do so, whose blood should not be buried and forgotten but should be a constant reminder as it waters our freedom. Many are still languishing in the Namibian prisons whose case up to now, is not clear whether it will be resolved or not. They have spent many anguishing years behind bars without a chance of parole. Each day the Namibian SWAPO government tightened its grip on them, while feeding them with poison to die a slow agonizing death. Let it be known that SWAPO ordered poison from China to be used in permanently silencing their enemies. How it works is that the victim after being given such a poison can live for one or two to four years but surely as a result he dies at last, in simple terms it can be described as peaceful death.

Those poor Caprivians in prison are fathers whose lives have been curtailed. They had families whose lives were disrupted when they were arrested as their children were deprived not only of the love and protection of their fathers, but also of the right education to live according to the cultural values and tradition of their role model. Many have been deprived of the right to education when their fathers were taken away from them as they lacked support to continue attaining education. It is a shame for a government to keep people in prisons when they are not charged and found guilty by a competent court of law. Much worse, it becomes a crime to subject people to inhuman and degrading treatment and circumstances that SWAPO’s interest is only to punish them because they were not able to apprehend Mr. Muyongo. Such stances we believe are not only dangerous but have no substance in them.

People of South West Africa and those of the Caprivi only came together in exile in Zambia where they agreed to fight a common enemy, the Apartheid regime of South Africa. It was not Caprivians who in essence broke the relationship but it waned as a result of insignificance the Caprivi Strip became to Mr. Sam Nujoma and the people of South West Africa. It is time for SWAPO to release all Caprivian prisoners and resolve the Caprivi Strip case once and for all. It is a known fact that the Namibian Courts could not find them guilty of any offence, so why keeping them in prison indefinitely? This speaks volumes about the attitude of the SWAPO and government of Namibia.

Of recent in one of the newspapers, it was categorically stated by one of the renowned SWAPO top management personnel (whose name we will not mention now but shall do so if pressed) that he believed SWAPO was worse off compared to the former colonizers. If this came from within the SWAPO ranks and circle, then it is much worse that protection of their party has become secondary. So what more do you still need to know and hear about those Lubango boys and girls?
In the Caprivi Strip, just like the apartheid regime, SWAPO reintroduced the system of divide and rule to create panic, and amidst confusion they pounced on to kill the dream of freedom and independence, an idea which is like a poison pill as it shall never die until the Caprivi Strip is free. For your information it is always the case that a learner can always modify and even refine what he was taught to suite his interests. SWAPO learnt it well enough that the implementation of their tacks in the Caprivi Strip has surely disintegrated in that part of the world. Many seem to have forgotten where they came from and seem to dance to the SWAPO divide and rule tune. What they forget is this that, like in the story of four bull buffalos that separated from the head and lived alone. An enemy could not kill them when they were united but as he used a tactic of dividing them he managed to kill them one by one.

Let us say that what divides us is less important compared to what unites us as a people. Despite the disadvantage we faced with at the moment, we believe there are many ways to kill a cat. Just as we all know that a flying bird is always trapped on the ground, so shall we bring to justice those who have brought sufferings to the people of the Caprivi Strip. A wise man once said that, “a very grave responsibility lies on the shoulders of us all that, no matter what may be said by our detractors, remains right in front of the struggle for the total liberation of our country in order to take its position in the union of the independent African States". In trying to put salt to the soup, let us say that what matters is for us all as Caprivians to be united in actions as our freedom will not come from a silver platter. We are our own liberators, and nothing under the sun is impossible to resolve.

No matter what Namibian say or do the fact remains that Caprivi Strip land shall not be stolen from its rightful owners. Your action to repeal Act 39(5) of 1968 is not only barbaric but it is unconstitutional as it lacks the backing of Caprivian people. Only and until 1999 that, by accident you came across the above law and forcibly made or pushed it to suite your interests. It is a Namibian law and not an encompassing law that incorporates the people of the Caprivi Strip. This Namibian law “The Application of Laws to the Caprivi Strip Act 1999 (Act 10 of 1999)” was promulgated only on June 24 1999, while Caprivians were in exile fighting for the independence of this territory. No proper procedures were followed to authenticate this law. Under normal circumstances, proper constitutional procedures were supposed to be followed before this law is put to work. In this case, Caprivians in a form of a referendum were supposed to be asked to clearly know whether or not they buy the idea of extending the laws of Namibia to the Caprivi Strip. So, comrades in arms, your actions to this effect are inconclusive and unconstitutional, which in reality puts you in an awkward situation and position because your action is null and void.

The Caprivi Strip is blessed with resources; it has the power of many talents and the potentialities of its people. Let us grasp now the opportunities before us and meet the challenge to our survival. Now is the time for us to converge and fight our way through and make the world know that we exist as a nation, and not as a part of South West Africa, Namibia. We shall never in any way, allow Namibia to hold us hostage in our motherland, the Caprivi Strip.

UDP Bulela Sicaba Sa Utwa

Chrispin Mutoiwa

UDP Secretary for Information


Source: United Democratic Party (UDP)


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