War veterans warned against illegal protest

A Meeting between a group of war veterans who are demanding compensation from Government and the Inspector General of the Namibian Police ended yesterday with a challenge for the former combatants in their attempt to take their troubles to the streets.

The veterans, who plan to march to the offices of the newly created Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs on June 4 and camp there until the minister talks to them, have since last year called for large amounts of money, shareholding in State-owned enterprises, jobs and bursaries, among other things. However, following yesterday morning’s meeting with Police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, the group say they have been warned that their plan might be considered illegal.”They basically tried to discourage us by saying that they will not allow us to camp.They’ll only allow us to hand over our petition and then leave,” Alex Kamwi, spokesperson for the group, told The Namibian.According to group leader Ruusa Malulu, they were informed that the only way the Police would allow them to camp in front of the ministry’s offices was if they could prove that they had permission from the City of Windhoek.An attempt by the group later in the day to make an announcement on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation’s (NBC) radio service had Malulu more excited than the earlier meeting with the Police chief, however.Malulu claimed that staff at the NBC’s advertising department told her that they had orders not to allow her group to make a radio announcement.”We were prepared to pay for it, and I had a meeting scheduled with them (NBC advertising department) this afternoon,” she said.A representative of the NBC’s advertising department, whom Malulu said she had spoken to, denied that such an order had been issued by a higher authority.”All I can say is that she was dealing with the wrong persons.She was supposed to go through our public relations department,” the source said.NBC Board Chairperson Ponhele ya France, who Malulu charged was responsible for the alleged decision, denied the allegations flat out.”Absolutely not.I definitely have no knowledge of that,” he told The Namibian.However, following yesterday morning’s meeting with Police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, the group say they have been warned that their plan might be considered illegal.”They basically tried to discourage us by saying that they will not allow us to camp.They’ll only allow us to hand over our petition and then leave,” Alex Kamwi, spokesperson for the group, told The Namibian.According to group leader Ruusa Malulu, they were informed that the only way the Police would allow them to camp in front of the ministry’s offices was if they could prove that they had permission from the City of Windhoek.An attempt by the group later in the day to make an announcement on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation’s (NBC) radio service had Malulu more excited than the earlier meeting with the Police chief, however.Malulu claimed that staff at the NBC’s advertising department told her that they had orders not to allow her group to make a radio announcement.”We were prepared to pay for it, and I had a meeting scheduled with them (NBC advertising department) this afternoon,” she said.A representative of the NBC’s advertising department, whom Malulu said she had spoken to, denied that such an order had been issued by a higher authority.”All I can say is that she was dealing with the wrong persons.She was supposed to go through our public relations department,” the source said.NBC Board Chairperson Ponhele ya France, who Malulu charged was responsible for the alleged decision, denied the allegations flat out.”Absolutely not.I definitely have no knowledge of that,” he told The Namibian.