EU raises rights concerns

Government attacks on the rights of foreigners, homosexuals and the independent media have been strongly criticised by the European Union (EU), the independent ‘Namibian’ reported on Tuesday. In a declaration on human rights in Namibia, the EU said that “offensive statements against minorities in the country will damage confidence in Namibia’s future and undermine the government’s laudable efforts to attract foreign investment, develop the tourist industry and improve the living standards of the Namibian people.” The declaration was posted on the EU’s website. “These statements and actions contrast with the politics of reconciliation, tolerance, harmony and unity in diversity adopted by the government of Namibia after independence and which won the country rightful acclaim, both domestically and internationally,” it noted. The EU said it was concerned about a government advertising ban on the “independent media” and the “verbal threats” against minorities in the country. “Official statements against minorities, inter alia against homosexuals, as well as declarations of a xenophobic nature, are unacceptable and indicate worrying signs of increasing intolerance,” the EU said. It said the EU encouraged Namibia to maintain its respect for human rights, to uphold the rule of law and to pursue its policies to create the right conditions for the realisation of the country’s potential. An EU diplomat, who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity, told the ‘Namibian’ that the EU was closely monitoring the government’s human rights record. “We fear that Namibia may fall into the same trap as Zimbabwe where lawlessness is condoned by the state,” the diplomat said.