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The Society of Advocates issues statement on a media report concerning statements attributed to the Minister of Defence

The Society of Advocates issues statement on a media report concerning statements attributed to the Minister of Defence

By  Adv. G Narib.

The Society of Advocates of Namibia has noted a recent alarming media report concerning statements attributed to the Minister of Defence, Rear-Admiral (retired) Peter Hafeni Vilho.

The media reported, inter alia, that the Minister of Defence, at a military event held in Karibib – “singled out white people and accused them of being greedy” and further stated that there exist “groups of people who were obsessed with the idea of the black government failing” (the statements).

If the media report is accurate, the statements:
(a) are irresponsible, disappointing and unbecoming of a Cabinet Minister in a democratic State founded upon the principles of democracy, the rule of law and justice for all;

(b) serve to incite racial disharmony, have no place in a democratic Namibia and conflict with the constitutional guarantee of equality and freedom from racial discrimination as embodied in Article 10 of the Namibian Constitution;

(c) undermine the founding principles enshrined in the Preamble of the Namibian Constitution, which recognise the equal and unalienable rights of the individual to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of race, colour, ethnic origin, sex, religion, creed or social or economic status, and which unequivocally records that we, the people of Namibia “will strive to achieve national reconciliation and to foster peace, unity and a common loyalty to a single state” and “committed to these principles, have resolved to constitute the Republic of Namibia as a sovereign, secular, democratic and unitary State securing to all our citizens justice, liberty, equality and fraternity”.

This matter merits further investigation. The relevant authorities are called upon to take the necessary steps on that score and to keep the Namibian public informed of the outcome.

The Minister of Defence is called upon to, at all times, respect the Namibian Constitution and its founding principles.

Adv. G Narib President Society of Advocates of Namibia 14 September


 

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