Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Into the Present Day

Meanwhile, “requests” were being made in the form of revolts by the South West African People’s Organization (SWAPO), a predominantly Owambo group whose actions at that time were generally recognized as “terrorist activity” (Cubitt, Richter 1976). Over the next two decades, however, this led to a liberation struggle in which Namibia eventually gained its independence from South Africa in 1990.

SWAPO’s methods of independence are certainly debatable, and South Africa’s initial stance—of merely trying to aid a developing country with no central government—complicates things further. Regardless, SWAPO is currently the ruling party. The first president, Sam Nujoma, served for 15 years, during which time the country made great economic and social strides. However, amongst other questionable acts to be mentioned later, during his time as president he changed the constitution in order to be elected for a third term.

Hifikepunye Pohamba was elected president of Namibia in 2005, but Nujoma only passed on the presidency of the SWAPO organization in 2007. Issues have arisen calling SWAPO’s political tactics into question, such as bribes in the form of college scholarships from China only offered to heads of state at the very top of SWAPO hierarchy (The New York Times, Nov. 20, 2009). While Namibia’s government is a democracy, its leaders occasionally use the mechanisms currently in place to enforce a singular perspective. In the 2009 general elections, since SWAPO had control of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, they were able, in the weeks leading up to elections, to eliminate all advertisements by their opponents.

Also critical in current events is the impact of globalization and development on the land and its people. In recent years, due to the increasing need for electricity within the country, many dams have been built that changed or displaced populations during their construction. In the 1990’s a dam was proposed that would displace a large Himba population gathered at Epupa falls (Shields, Campion, 2003). Due in great part to the outspoken efforts of Chief Hikuminue Kapika and publicity surrounding the region—which now has a consistent stream of tourists daily—this plan was stopped. However, president Pohamba has brought a nearly identical proposal back to the table, and concern has again arisen that the people in this region will be dispersed and left without a home (IRIN, Jan. 18, 2008).

The relationship between the LGBT population and the country at large has undergone many developments in recent times. Sam Nujoma spoke out quite vehemently against homosexuals, shifting prejudice to the Namibian LGBT community during the 1990’s. Sara Blecher examines Nujoma’s hate speech in the short documentary He Is My President from 2001, which also documents the work of Ian Swartz and the Rainbow Project culminating in a protest that Blecher dubs the country’s first gay pride march. In the film we also learn that, “in parliament, certain ministers have even proposed laws calling for the elimination of gay people.” There is a memorable scene where a minister defends the word “elimination” saying it can mean many things, not only to kill—stating this, of course, without condemning the idea of killing as one interpretation (He Is My President). A more recent article gives a view of the contemporary situation.

"…in the past under the regime of our first black president it was hard. He was definitely a ‘brother’ of Mugabe’s views on homosexuality. According to them it is the same as bestiality. But since 2005 we’ve had our second black president who is more tolerant—there are some rumours that his own son is gay. That changed the scene dramatically (Gay Namibia, 2008)."

The AIDS epidemic is also taking its toll on Namibia. 15.3% of adults between the age of 15 and 49 have been diagnosed with HIV, the sixth-highest prevalency rate in the world (UNICEF). In November, 2009, Dianne Hubbard—co-ordinator of the Legal Assistance Centre’s Gender Research and Advocacy Project—went before the National Council’s Standing Committee on Gender and Youth to call for the decriminalization of prostitution. Sex workers in Namibia face a great deal of abuse, and are critically at risk for infection with HIV/AIDS. Hubbard feels that the decriminalization of their work would help to minimize some of these issues. Willem Apolotus, a member of the Committee on Gender and Youth, agreed, emphasizing the distinction between legalization and decriminalization (The Namibian, Nov. 9, 2009). Economic and social factors have also driven underage populations to prostitution, who feel they have no other option (IRIN, Oct. 24, 2005).


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