On Ex-Combatants unrealistic Demands

I WOULD like to comment on the issue that has been making headlines in the media over the past days – the issue of ex-Plan combatants’ demand for compensation.

As a Namibian, I feel that what our brave parents and siblings have done to bring independence to our motherland is profoundly commendable. They have really struggled tirelessly for this, some of them for even as long as 20 years.This, they have done with no condition of compensation whatsoever.They are the heroes and heroines of the land of the brave and this for sure will be their title forever.I profoundly hope that the Almighty God has and will still bless them and their families for as long as they live.However, one thing that puzzles me is the way they are reacting these days.As far as I can see, the ex-combatants have turned themselves from heroes and heroines of the land of the brave to power-hungry Namibians – I do not however refer to all of them as such.My argument on the aforesaid statement is awakened by the huge amount of money plus other things that our ex-freedom fighters are demanding.I do not really think such demands can be made by loyal freedom fighters whose mere objective was to ensure independence, democracy, peace, prosperity and reconciliation, as was their aim when they were at the warfront and/or studying.As the Swapo president has said in reaction to these “unrealistic” demands, Namibians did not fight on a condition of any compensation in whatever manner – the sole aim was to see to it that Namibia was freed from the yoke of colonialism and oppression.If this was the case, and they understood it when they were abroad, what has really triggered this behaviour now? I think it is not really them who are demanding this; someone else is pushing them to do this with the intention of dirtying the name of Swapo and that of its President.We know for certain that politics is “ripening” these days and many want power, especially now that we are facing a big change in the history of Swapo, the possible handover of the Swapo presidency from Dr Sam Nujoma in 2007.Namibians must be careful about those power hungry people who may be pushing these ex-Plan combatants.They may be out to destroy Swapo and this is really not a new tactic, it has been there even during the liberation struggle.To the “heroes and heroines” themselves, I have this to say: “Never kill your mother when she has nothing to feed you”.If your demands are met, what about ours, whose siblings, parents and even ourselves have suffered, lost properties and been incapacitated for the cause of independence of this country? Can we also demand? Would this really be humane? Please, let us be heroes and heroines and not fools.We know these demands are simply impossible.Joel Katoma OkahaoThey have really struggled tirelessly for this, some of them for even as long as 20 years.This, they have done with no condition of compensation whatsoever.They are the heroes and heroines of the land of the brave and this for sure will be their title forever.I profoundly hope that the Almighty God has and will still bless them and their families for as long as they live.However, one thing that puzzles me is the way they are reacting these days.As far as I can see, the ex-combatants have turned themselves from heroes and heroines of the land of the brave to power-hungry Namibians – I do not however refer to all of them as such.My argument on the aforesaid statement is awakened by the huge amount of money plus other things that our ex-freedom fighters are demanding.I do not really think such demands can be made by loyal freedom fighters whose mere objective was to ensure independence, democracy, peace, prosperity and reconciliation, as was their aim when they were at the warfront and/or studying.As the Swapo president has said in reaction to these “unrealistic” demands, Namibians did not fight on a condition of any compensation in whatever manner – the sole aim was to see to it that Namibia was freed from the yoke of colonialism and oppression.If this was the case, and they understood it when they were abroad, what has really triggered this behaviour now? I think it is not really them who are demanding this; someone else is pushing them to do this with the intention of dirtying the name of Swapo and that of its President.We know for certain that politics is “ripening” these days and many want power, especially now that we are facing a big change in the history of Swapo, the possible handover of the Swapo presidency from Dr Sam Nujoma in 2007.Namibians must be careful about those power hungry people who may be pushing these ex-Plan combatants.They may be out to destroy Swapo and this is really not a new tactic, it has been there even during the liberation struggle.To the “heroes and heroines” themselves, I have this to say: “Never kill your mother when she has nothing to feed you”.If your demands are met, what about ours, whose siblings, parents and even ourselves have suffered, lost properties and been incapacitated for the cause of independence of this country? Can we also demand? Would this really be humane? Please, let us be heroes and heroines and not fools.We know these demands are simply impossible.Joel Katoma Okahao