War veterans lament the forgotten history

Some recognized war veterans in the Otjozondjupa region claim that their actions inside and outside the country during liberation struggle for the independence of Namibia have been forgotten by the government in place.

Veterans have recently stated in interviews with Nampa that many of the battles they had participated in during the struggle for independence from 1966 to 1989 were never heard, documented or described in the past. public holidays commemorated each year.

These heroes and heroines made their comments separately with this news agency in view of the commemoration of Heroes Day, scheduled for August 26 this year in Otjiwarongo, Otjozondjupa region.

Elago Johannes Immanuel, 56, is currently employed by the Ministry of Defense in Otjiwarongo. Immanuel, who held the pseudonym Kavilikita during the days of the liberation struggle, said Friday that some painful and painful aspects of the liberation struggle had never been told to the nation at previous Hero's Day commemorations , Cassinga Day or Independence Day.

"We know who was with us. Some fighters have disappeared and others have been eaten by wild animals, but their stories are never told to the nation. My wish is to see this nation remember the journey of the liberation struggle in its entirety, and the names of these heroes and heroines made public, "he said. Immanuel joined Swapo's army, the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) in 1979 in Lubango, and trained at the Tobias Hainyeko military training center in Angola.

He then participated in several military clashes with South African armed forces in Angola and on the northern border between Namibia and Angola.

The former mayor of Grootfontein, Penny Mwazi (63), also a veteran of the war and commissioner of artillery training, on Thursday asked why the attack on Shatotwa camp in July 1975 did not help. had never been heard or commemorated, as many Swapo fighters and civilian members were killed in the attack. Mwazi joined Plan in 1974 and explained that the South African armed forces attacked the Shatotwa camp in Zambia on July 11, 1975 with one or two helicopters around 4:00 am.

"It was still dark that morning, when the enemy attacked us. The camp was so big and divided into four sections, "she said. Mwazi said the South African armed forces had stopped firing on the Swapo in the camp after Plan fighters like her began to defend themselves bravely for nearly an hour to defend themselves and defend the young civilians from the camp. Mwazi asked why some of these bitter and emotional stories forming part of the liberation struggle are never told to the nation, as if they were not happening.

She cited the names of retired Brigadier General of the Army, Mathias Shiweda, Martha Shikalakuti, Shihepo Hamutele and Clement Mwala, among those who witnessed the Shatotwa attack this morning.

Phillemon Namupala on behalf of Kamati Ka-Dave, Lieutenant Colonel of the Otjiwarongo Military Base, and Elias Nehemia, also known as Kaseru at the time of the liberation struggle, also said that these stories should be told. for the nation to know the sacrifices that have been made. Namupala added that he and other guerrilla members like Erastus Negonga, who was their front-line chief; Otto Shinyagaya; Amupolo Kayambu Amupolo; Jona Amunyela Judo; and Petrus Nghilukilwa Kambuela; had conducted numerous attacks against the former South African military base of Oshakati from 1984 to 1989 as part of the struggle for the independence of Namibia. – Nampa