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Caprivi governor wants state of emergency

    JOHANNESBURG

    The governor of the Caprivi region in Namibia has said that the state of emergency imposed after the failed separatists attack by secessionists on 2 August may have to be re-instated to maintain calm during elections.

    Media reports said that the state of emergency would allow the state to ban individuals and stop parties from holding meetings in the region. No date has been set for the presidential and national assembly elections, but they are expected to take place at the end of November.

    Meanwhile about 1,500 civil servants, students and ruling party SWAPO members on Wednesday marched to the governor's office to hand over a petition, demanding that bail be denied to the 97 men accused of trying to bring about the secession of the Caprivi. The men are facing charges of high treason, sedition and public violence. The case will heard in Namibia's high court from 24 January. During the attack on Katima Mulilo, 16 people died, including three policemen and three soldiers, and 24 people were seriously wounded.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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