Human rights record questioned

Namibia's leading human rights organisation on Wednesday slammed the armies of both Namibia and its neighbour Angola for ongoing extra judicial executions in the north of the country. The annual National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) report said that of the 21 acts of summary execution reported, most were allegedly committed by the Namibian armed forces against real or perceived UNITA collaborators. The Angolan Army (FAA) was responsible for three executions, the report alleged. Overall, however, the advocacy group gave the government a mixed report card, saying that although the human rights situation in the country had improved "in some cases it continued to deteriorate even further". The report said economic, social and cultural rights worsened due to HIV/AIDS and malaria. The report quoted statistics from the Ministry of Health and Social Services that deaths caused by malaria had increased by some 70 percent during 2001. "The situation was aggravated by huge increases in corruption and defence spending and the consequent deterioration in the delivery of essential social services," the report charged. While a recent UN Development Programme report on human development showed that Namibia was "on track" with regard to school enrolment - it had achieved the required quota of female primary and secondary school enrolment - the report said the country still lagged behind in terms of reducing the under-five and infant mortality rates. The NSHR report also noted that civil and political rights in the volatile Caprivi, Kavango and Ohangwena regions had improved following the signing of the 4 April ceasefire between UNITA and the Angolan army. From December 1999 onwards, the Namibian government permitted the Angolan army to mount attacks against UNITA from Kavango and Caprivi provinces. However, human rights advocates were still concerned over allegations of unequal socio-economic development opportunities for people living in the Caprivi, Hardap, Karas, Kavango, Kunene and Ohangwena regions. "Paramilitarisation, militarisation and one-party dominance rule, coupled with stigmatisation of opposition political parties as well as attacks on the judiciary and independent-minded civil society organisations continued unabated," the report said. Close to 2,300 citizens were living in forced exile in neighbouring Botswana following widespread human rights abuses in the Caprivi Region. In two cases, six Namibian citizens were deported to Angola, the organisation alleged. The report also noted that there were close to 23,000 refugees in the country, the majority of them Angolans. "There were credible reports that some of refugees housed in the Osire refugee settlement, 200-km north of Windhoek, were Namibian citizens. Security forces rounded up citizens in the Kavango region for failing to produce identity documents," the report said. Also, there was growing criticism by government ministers and government party officials of the press, the judiciary and NGOs, the report said. The media had come under fire from the government no less than 10 times during 2001-2002. In two cases a journalist from The Namibian was arbitrarily arrested and assulted by special police services, the report alleged.