Nujoma pooh-poohs UN claims

SWAPO PARTY President Sam Nujoma on Saturday shot down claims that the United Nations had undertaken to pay compensation to former Plan combatants.

Swapo did not enter into any agreement with the UN on compensation, Nujoma told a Heroes’ Day rally at Okatana on Saturday. “The People’s Liberation Army of Namibia, Plan, the military wing of Swapo Party, was never an army funded by the United Nations.”The Swapo Party leadership, and indeed Plan commanders and genuine Plan combatants are not aware of any agreement reached with the United Nations on compensation,” Nujoma said.A member of the recently formed Committee on the [Welfare of] Ex-combatants, Alex Kamwi, has claimed that a UN official, Nicholas Bwakira, promised combatants demobilisation packages of US$80 000 each during a meeting in Luanda, Angola, in July 1989.On Saturday, Nujoma said “hallucinations” about the involvement of the UN in the affairs of Plan should be rejected and condemned with the contempt they deserved.He said that the Swapo Party Government would continue to monitor and review the socio-economic conditions of those who participated in the liberation struggle with a view to improving their living standards.”Therefore, the Swapo Party appeals to the entire Namibian nation to be calm and trust the Swapo Party Government to find a lasting solution that will benefit the ex-combatants, our country and its citizens.Do not therefore allow yourselves to be hijacked by unscrupulous elements within our society masquerading as the so-called Committee on [the Welfare of ] Ex-combatants,” Nujoma told the crowd.”The so-called Committee on the [Welfare of] Ex-combatants has no support, of either the Swapo Party or the Government, and it should therefore not be allowed to hijack the programmes that the Swapo Party Government is busy with regarding finding a lasting solution to the plight of ex-combatants …,” he said.The former State President said Government would continue to create opportunities for all Namibians through economic growth, better education, better health services and the creation of more job opportunities.He said Swapo fully recognised the contributions former Plan combatants had made to the peace and stability that the people of Namibia enjoyed today.According to Nujoma, Government had been working on the socio-economic integration of former Plan combatants into Namibian society since Independence.He said Cabinet had established a technical committee on ex-combatants to identify and categorise former fighters’ employment and living conditions and to recommend measures for their integration into society.As a result, Nujoma said, 8 777 ex-combatants were employed in the public service.Unemployed ex-combatants older than 55 years were registered with the War Veterans Trust to receive a monthly social grant of N$500 in addition to their monthly State pension for the rest of their lives.A considerable number of war veterans were also integrated into State-owned enterprises, Nujoma said.According to him, most if not all ex-combatants who were qualified for employment have been absorbed in Government services.Progress on efforts to improve the lives of war veterans would be announced in due course, Nujoma said, and at this state the Government did not need unnecessary pressure and distraction from people whose “credentials and aims are suspicious and questionable”.”In actual fact, the so-called Committee [on the Welfare] of Ex-Combatants is interfering with the process embarked upon by the Swapo Party Government already,” Nujoma said.He acknowledged the moral and material support Swapo had received from the Frontline States and Nigeria, Angola and Zambia during the liberation struggle, as well as the role Cubans played in the struggle against “the colonial regime of South Africa and its international imperialists such as the United States of America, Germany, Britain, France and others who supported the South African apartheid regime”.Nujoma also praised and thanked those who fought against South Africa at Omugulugwombashe on August 26 1966.Some of them were present at the Okatana Heroes’ Day commemoration.”As we commemorate Heroes’ Day, let us commit ourselves to work harder with dedication and commitment; let us become more united as a nation than ever before and let us march forward with resolve and confidence in the belief that we will achieve our goals and objectives and also remember that their blood waters our freedom,” Nujoma concluded.”The People’s Liberation Army of Namibia, Plan, the military wing of Swapo Party, was never an army funded by the United Nations.”The Swapo Party leadership, and indeed Plan commanders and genuine Plan combatants are not aware of any agreement reached with the United Nations on compensation,” Nujoma said.A member of the recently formed Committee on the [Welfare of] Ex-combatants, Alex Kamwi, has claimed that a UN official, Nicholas Bwakira, promised combatants demobilisation packages of US$80 000 each during a meeting in Luanda, Angola, in July 1989.On Saturday, Nujoma said “hallucinations” about the involvement of the UN in the affairs of Plan should be rejected and condemned with the contempt they deserved.He said that the Swapo Party Government would continue to monitor and review the socio-economic conditions of those who participated in the liberation struggle with a view to improving their living standards.”Therefore, the Swapo Party appeals to the entire Namibian nation to be calm and trust the Swapo Party Government to find a lasting solution that will benefit the ex-combatants, our country and its citizens.Do not therefore allow yourselves to be hijacked by unscrupulous elements within our society masquerading as the so-called Committee on [the Welfare of ] Ex-combatants,” Nujoma told the crowd.”The so-called Committee on the [Welfare of] Ex-combatants has no support, of either the Swapo Party or the Government, and it should therefore not be allowed to hijack the programmes that the Swapo Party Government is busy with regarding finding a lasting solution to the plight of ex-combatants …,” he said.The former State President said Government would continue to create opportunities for all Namibians through economic growth, better education, better health services and the creation of more job opportunities.He said Swapo fully recognised the contributions former Plan combatants had made to the peace and stability that the people of Namibia enjoyed today. According to Nujoma, Government had been working on the socio-economic integration of former Plan combatants into Namibian society since Independence.He said Cabinet had established a technical committee on ex-combatants to identify and categorise former fighters’ employment and living conditions and to recommend measures for their integration into society.As a result, Nujoma said, 8 777 ex-combatants were employed in the public service.Unemployed ex-combatants older than 55 years were registered with the War Veterans Trust to receive a monthly social grant of N$500 in addition to their monthly State pension for the rest of their lives.A considerable number of war veterans were also integrated into State-owned enterprises, Nujoma said.According to him, most if not all ex-combatants who were qualified for employment have been absorbed in Government services.Progress on efforts to improve the lives of war veterans would be announced in due course, Nujoma said, and at this state the Government did not need unnecessary pressure and distraction from people whose “credentials and aims are suspicious and questionable”.”In actual fact, the so-called Committee [on the Welfare] of Ex-Combatants is interfering with the process embarked upon by the Swapo Party Government already,” Nujoma said.He acknowledged the moral and material support Swapo had received from the Frontline States and Nigeria, Angola and Zambia during the liberation struggle, as well as the role Cubans played in the struggle against “the colonial regime of South Africa and its international imperialists such as the United States of America, Germany, Britain, Fra
nce and others who supported the South African apartheid regime”.Nujoma also praised and thanked those who fought against South Africa at Omugulugwombashe on August 26 1966.Some of them were present at the Okatana Heroes’ Day commemoration.”As we commemorate Heroes’ Day, let us commit ourselves to work harder with dedication and commitment; let us become more united as a nation than ever before and let us march forward with resolve and confidence in the belief that we will achieve our goals and objectives and also remember that their blood waters our freedom,” Nujoma concluded.