PRESIDENT HIFIKEPUNYE POHAMBA'S NEW YEAR MESSAGE

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000006

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL WA
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT HIFIKEPUNYE POHAMBA'S NEW YEAR MESSAGE

REF: WINDHOEK 394

1.(SBU) BELOW ARE EXCERPTS FROM PRESIDENT HIFIKEPUNYE POHAMBA'S NEW
YEAR MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF NAMIBIA ON JANUARY 1. IT CONTAINS A
STRONG APPEAL FOR POLITICAL TOLERANCE AND FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS.
THE SPEECH WAS DELIVERED AFTER A YEAR WHICH SAW A SERIES OF
HIGH-PROFILE CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN SOUTHWEST AFRICA PEOPLE'S
ORGANIZATION (SWAPO) PARTY AND THE OPPOSITION (REFTEL).


2. (SBU) ON JANUARY 9, DAYS AFTER THE SPEECH WAS DELIVERED, THE
RULING SWAPO PARTY CALLED FOR THE DISMISSAL OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
OF THE NAMIBIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (NBC),FOR ALLEGEDLY
ORCHESTRATING-- OR AT LEAST ALLOWING-- THE APPEARANCE OF A RALLY FOR
DEMOCRACY AND PROGRESS (RDP) PARTY FLAG BEHIND THE PRESIDENT AFTER
HE READ HIS SPEECH ON NATIONAL TELEVISION. (USUALLY THE NATIONAL
FLAG IS DISPLAYED FOR PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES.) THE OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT HAS DEMANDED A REPORT OF THE INCIDENT FROM THE MINISTRY OF
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY.

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EXCERPTS OF SPEECH
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3. (U) IT IS A SOURCE OF JOY THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS GENERALLY
MAINTAINED A STATE OF PEACE AND SECURITY. OUR CONSTITUTIONAL
DEMOCRATIC ORDER IS GROWING STRONGER FROM YEAR TO YEAR. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO THE PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS THIS
YEAR.



4. (U) THE YEAR ALSO WITNESSED BY-ELECTIONS AT RUNDU RURAL WEST,
EENHANA AND TOBIAS HAINYEKO CONSTITUENCIES, AS WELL AS THE LOCAL
AUTHORITY ELECTIONS FOR THE NEWLY PROCLAIMED TOWNS OF NKURENKURU AND
OMUTHIYA RESPECTIVELY.


5. (U) FELLOW NAMIBIANS, THE CONDUCT OF FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IS
THE LIFEBLOOD OF ANY DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM. IT IS THROUGH ELECTIONS THAT
THE ELECTORATE CAN EXPRESS THEIR PREFERENCES FOR LEADERS AND FOR
POLICY OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES CHAMPIONED BY DIFFERENT POLITICAL
PARTIES. THE SUCCESSFUL CONDUCT OF REGULAR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS
IN OUR COUNTRY AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OVER THE YEARS, THEREFORE, SPEAKS
VOLUMES ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF OUR YOUNG DEMOCRACY.


6. (U) DESPITE THE POSITIVE TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR
DEMOCRACY, THERE HAS BEEN SOME ISOLATED BUT DISTURBING INCIDENTS OF
VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY DURING ELECTION CAMPAIGNS. IN SOME INSTANCES,
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE HAS FLARED UP RESULTING IN INJURIES.


7. (U) I WOULD, THEREFORE, PARTICULARLY LIKE TO CALL UPON ALL
POLITICAL PARTIES TO DESIST FROM PROVOCATIVE ACTIONS THAT MAY LEAD
TO VIOLENCE. ALL POLITICAL PARTIES AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS
MUST CULTIVATE A CULTURE OF PEACEFUL NON-PROVOCATIVE ELECTION
CAMPAIGN.


8. (U) ANY ACT OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE TAINTS THE IMAGE OF OUR COUNTRY
AND DISCREDITS OUR CREDENTIALS AS A PEACE LOVING COUNTRY FOUNDED ON
THE PRINCIPLES OF MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW.
WE MUST ALL OF US, POLITICAL LEADERS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, TRADITIONAL
LEADERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE STRENGTH OF
OUR DIVERSITY AND POLITICAL MATURITY SO THAT NAMIBIA CAN CONTINUE TO
SHINE AS ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST BEACONS OF DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL
TOLERANCE, NOT ONLY ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT BUT ALSO AROUND THE
WORLD. THE RETROGRESSIVE TENDENCIES OF ETHNIC BASED POLITICS,
REGIONALISM AND OTHER VICES THAT SEEK TO DIVIDE OUR PEOPLE MUST NOT
ONLY BE REJECTED, BUT IT MUST ALSO BE ROUNDLY CONDEMNED.


9. (U) WE MUST MOULD A POLITICAL ORDER BASED ON THE STRENGTH OF
PERSUASION OF OUR POLITICAL IDEALS AND THE VITALITY OF OUR POLITICAL
PROGRAMMES.


10. (U) IN NAMIBIA, THE VICTORY FOR POLITICAL POWER MUST BE WON OR
LOST ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF IDEAS, WHERE THE PARTY WITH THE MOST
CREDIBLE PROPOSALS AND TRACK RECORD FOR GOVERNANCE WILL GAIN THE
MANDATE OF THE ELECTORATE THROUGH A SECRET BALLOT. IT IS THE IDEAS,
THE VISION, THE TRACK RECORD AND INDEED, IT IS THE CORRECT AND SOUND
PROGRAMME OF ACTION OF A POLITICAL PARTY WHICH CONVINCES THE
ELECTORATE ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF SUCH A POLITICAL PARTY. IT IS
THOSE IDEAS AND THE VISION IN OUR PROGRAMMES WHICH WE MUST TAKE TO
THE ELECTORATE THROUGH THE SECRET BALLOT IN A MATURE MANNER DEVOID
OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE, PROVOCATION AND INTIMIDATION OF ONE ANOTHER.


11. (U) IN THIS REGARD, I APPEAL TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES TO
STRICTLY ENSURE THAT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
ARE CONDUCTED WITHIN THE LETTER AND SPIRIT OF THE NAMIBIAN
CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS OF OUR REPUBLIC. ALL POLITICAL PARTIES
SHOULD STRICTLY ADHERE TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT AGREED TO BY POLITICAL
PARTIES. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GUARANTEE
PEACE, SECURITY, STABILITY AND NATIONAL UNITY IN OUR COUNTRY. THIS
IS THE ONLY WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO PURSUE OUR POLICY OF NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION.

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COMMENT
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12. (SBU) DESPITE THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE APPEARANCE OF THE RDP
FLAG, THE MESSAGE IN PRESIDENT POHAMBA'S SPEECH IS A WELCOME
DEVELOPMENT THAT MARKS A FRESH POLITICAL TONE FOR THE NEW YEAR. WE
HOPE THAT OTHER SENIOR SWAPO OFFICIALS WILL FOLLOW SUIT AND THAT THE
POSITIVE DISCOURSE WILL RESONATE WITH THE RANK AND FILE.

MATHIEU