Re: SWAPO’s Disruption of the RDP Peaceful Political Activity
Dear Mr. President,
It is with profound indignation that we write to you this open letter to draw your attention to the very awesome undertaking you made to the Namibian nation and the world at large on the 21st March 2005 to uphold this country’s hard won peace and stability. You pledged, on that occasion to solemnly defend the Namibian Constitution in its entirety against all its potential violators.
Article 5 - the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms - forms a key and salient part of this Constitution which you have vowed to uphold. But we are of late beginning to notice of the lowering of your guards in this respect. We have been experiencing continuing trend of provocation and fascistic intimidation. And it’s only thanks to the discipline of our members and watchfulness of the Namibian police that the RDP is able to peacefully carry out its democratic political activity. Otherwise, this activity is regularly disrupted.
Just like Hitler before them, the neo-fascist elements in SWAPO Party are advocating that RDP members should be denied water and public tenders and that their businesses be boycotted. They are insisting that RDP meetings be suppressed. The nation and the world has just witnessed the disruption of the RDP meeting in Katutura last Saturday in defiance of the Police order for the neo-fascist elements to allow that meeting to take place.
Yet, Article 21 of the Constitution , which addresses fundamental freedoms, states quite categorically that Namibian people have “freedom of association”, which include freedom to form and join associations like political parties and trade unions. That Article grants the Namibian citizens freedom to move freely throughout Namibia. It thus rejects the reactionary and apartheid notion of “no-go areas” in this country.
Article 17 of the Constitution gives the Namibian people freedom to fully participate in the nation’s political activity. It is therefore, incumbent on you Mr. President, as the supreme leader of SWAPO to rein on the members of SWAPO to cease and desist with their anti-democratic activity. We will not allow Namibia to revert back to the one-party politics of Apartheid era.
You have on your shoulders the heavy responsibility not to allow Namibia to slide back to jingoism and political exclusivity, which we experienced during the Apartheid past. It is your onerous duty to defend our Constitution, the freedoms and rights enshrined therein. We of the RDP will stand by you in defense of these noble principles.
Yours sincerely
Hidipo Hamutenya, Interim President Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)
