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News and Information
'SECRET' Nujoma-Muyongo document surfaces
| January 23, 2007 |
 'SECRET' Nujoma-Muyongo document surfaces
BRIGITTE WEIDLICH
A POTENTIALLY explosive document related to the Caprivi, which the Swapo Party has persisted in saying does not exist, has suddenly surfaced in Namibia Compiled over 40 years ago and signed by former President Sam Nujoma, it describes the merger in the 1960s of Swapo and a political party led by Caprivi secessionist Mishake Muyongo.
The Namibian was yesterday unable to independently confirm the authenticity of the document, but sources maintain that it is the real deal.
Prominent members of the ruling Swapo Party have in the recent past denied the document's existence.
They have said that there had only been a verbal agreement between Nujoma and Muyongo.
Caprivi secessionists, however, and some of the accused in the ongoing Caprivi high treason trial as recently as last week charged that the merger document of 1964 was important, as it allegedly proved that the Caprivi Strip would become a separate state from Namibia after Independence.
One of the 119 accused, Aggrey Makendano, told Judge Elton Hoff last week that he wanted former President Sam Nujoma, President Hifikepunye Pohamba, former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, and exiled alleged secessionist leader Mishake Muyongo to testify in the main Caprivi treason trial.
If he could be given willing legal representation, he would be able to prove to the court that he was correct when he said that the Caprivi Region was not legally part of Namibia, Makendano declared.
He would need to call about 10 witnesses, Makendano added, including the four Presidents, who would specifically have to testify about the agreement through which a political party then led by Muyongo, the Caprivi African National Union (Canu), merged with Swapo in 1964.
This merger agreement allegedly included an undertaking that once the independence of Namibia had been achieved, the Caprivi Region would also become an independent country on its own, Makendano said in the High Court.
He even announced that he now had a copy of the agreement, and he would produce it at some point in the future.
The accused might be in for a nasty surprise, however, because the document which The Namibian has seen, does not mention anything about a separate or independent Caprivi state.
Signed by Nujoma and Muyongo on November 5 1964, the five-page typed document is in the form of a press statement.
"As the undersigned members of Swapo and Canu (we) do hereby declare that for the interest of our struggle of our two people and freedom and independence of our fatherlands (sic), Caprivi Strip and South West Africa, Canu and Swapo hereby unite as one organisation in a different name," the introduction of the 1964 statement reads.
"We further resolve that Canu and Swapo merge and unite as one organisation with the following objective - to fight relentlessly for the total liberation of South West Africa and Caprivi Strip from the yoke of South Africa (sic) imperialism."
The two merged parties would also strive for "the creation of a true democratic government in South West Africa".
The press statement then deals at length with the history of colonialism in Namibia, and the arrests and intimidation of prominent Swapo and Canu members until 1964.
"Despite the arrest, imprisonment and intimidation of African people by the South African imperialists, Swapo shall continue with the struggle until self determination and national independence is achieved in South West Africa," the 1964 document concludes.
It is signed by Albert (Mishake) Muyongo and Sam Nujoma.
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Source: www.namibian.com.na |
| http://www.namibian.com.na/ |
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