NAMIBIA: He's My President

June 2001 - 25'00”

INTRO:

This week we travel to Namibia where we meet President Sam Nujoma and look at escalating homophobia in that country.

Sam Nujoma is an icon of African Liberation, having fought a long bitter battle for freedom in Namibia. But today it seems as if he is threatening the very freedom of some of those people who supported him in the struggle."

"Gays and lesbians are the receiving end of the presidents inflammatory remarks, but they not the only ones. Sara Blecher, cameraman Jan de Klerk and sound man Mandla Mlambo filed this report. Please note that we gonna be trying something new at the end of this programme, a voteline so stay tuned for that."

00 03 59 13

Flag raising ceremony

Voice-over "Windhoek March 1990... The birth of a nation ... as the country celebrates the President declares a new era of human rights and freedom for all Namibian citizens......

A rally to mark the birthday of the ruling Swapo Party 11 years later. Now it seems that some people no longer have that hard-won freedom. In fact some Namibians are no longer even welcome in the country......"

UPS Sam hate speech :..Lesbianism... and homosexualism...this we condemn and we reject them in Namibia. There will be no Lesbian..no homosexuality"

Crowd singing Nujoma Nujoma Nujoma...

00 05 03 04

TITLE : he's my president...

...a report by Sara Blecher

 

Voice-over : "Since independence a decade ago Namibia has been governed under one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. But in recent months the Swapo government has been sending out disturbing signals. Hate speech is on the rise... directed mostly at gays and Lesbians... but also at Afrikaans-speakers... whites... foreigners, the women who marry them.. and men who drink in bars.

These attacks are in stark contrast to Namibia's proud history... of fighting discrimination in all forms. To try to make sense of what's happening there, Special Assignment set out across the border...

breakfast table

"Our journey starts with the President himself. We find him on his farm in Otavi, in the north of the country... listening to a news bulletin on the radio...

00 06 13 14

President Sam Nujoma : "This was a fortress, of the South African army protecting the farmers. You can see this thing...this thing is meant...you see no bullet can go through here. Not even a bazooka, so the surrounding soldiers would fire and anybody who approach...who they think is a terrorist then they shoot... then they take cove here and no bullets can come through here. The same thing with this one...they can also fire and they fire from here...this position... and they just take cover like this...no bullet can go through not even a bazooka. I bought the farm... all time that I did not know there was a fortress...for the enemy."

UPS Paul Kalenga -ex student leader "Yeah his normally ???, and it's quite very respectful word, it's like a father figure...it's like the protector...the..the..the head of the household sort of."

UPS André du Pisani-University of Namibia " The President is more popular than the constitution, the President is being put on a pedestal, he's virtually untouchable and all powerful. He is the big man of politics and to be the big man of politics you have to be able to command resources."

over breakfast

Voice-over :"To us, the President is gentle and hospitable... hard to imagine that this is the man mouthing hate speech . The repercussions of his words still reverberate around the country...

Fade into shot of Ian's family having lunch

"Voice-over "Sunday Lunch at the Swarts Family ..... Ian Swart is head of the Rainbow project... formed to counter the escalating incidents of hate speech. The project is organising a protest march through the streets of Windhoek.... Ian has put himself in the fore-front of this movement. His mother is worried about his safety"

00 08 16 17

UPS MOTHER : I think he should get out of Namibia...I mean that's the easy way to go...he most probably thinks that's the cowards way to go"

UPS IAN : "I cannot leave the country now...because if I leave the county now its truly gonna be a very bad sign...what are people...I mean how scared will other people not be"

UPS MOTHER : "I'm not sure how much support do you people really have..."

UPS IAN :"There is support mother, we wouldn't be able to push it this far, push it this hard if we did not have support"

00 08 56 01

UPS IAN :"The first time that Sam Nujoma did it I can remember that day as if it was yesterday. It was the end of 96...we had a friend visiting from Berlin...ahh..Totos/ All of a sudden the father of our nation, the person that we all so admired and loved so much...we used to have this nice photo of him somewhere up...I can't somewhere up in our house somewhere, and all of a sudden this person was just spitting hate speech and it was against us...and I always thought that... we are a part of inner circle and all of a sudden we weren't. And it just took the words of one person...it just took a few seconds of that person's speech to entirely change our lives."

Visuals of Sam and Sara walking through his farm.

UPS SAM : Now this is about one kilometer... so we'll do another kilometer back... and if you are interested you see our veges...uh...vegetables and fruits you are welcome you can go in there. Your interested?...Ok...so Namibia is a country of contrast. We sing our national anthem, beautiful Namibia land of contrast... is really a land of contrast, very beautiful."

UPS GWEN LISTER -Editor- The Namibian :"He has some incredibly good qualities... his commitment was to Namibia and to Namibians, his heart is nowhere else but to Namibia. But at the same time perhaps all those years of being the undisputed leader of Swapo has lead to exactly this situation that we are in today, because the Swapo leader around him never spoke out and never criticised him... so this authoritarianism has come about and it has taken Namibian to try and emerge from the same culture of fear that was present in the South African rule. Now to be put back into it under Swapo... it's unacceptable. We found our voice, we must use that voice, we must exercise it."

UPS IAN:The Project was sort of...created overnight because overnight we realised that this person is not a friend, this person is in fact a big problem... he's going to be a big problem for us as the gays and lesbians of this country."

UPS GAY"I mean where are you gonna deport us if you want all these things...we are Namibians, where are you going to deport us?

UPS GAY "DRC"

Laughter from the project crew.

00 11 32 22

UPS LESBIAN "We are here and we haven't been recognised... that's why we decided to come out and march that's why I said, even if there are ten of us five of us...we must show the people that we are here. We are Namibians. We born like this and I want them to see us...and to accept us as we are."

We are Namibians YES....

VOICE-OVER :"Not only has the Swapo government been threatening to deport gays and lesbians. They've also threatened to arrest them...

The Swapo Youth league is the main source of this hostility."

UPS Paulus Kapia-Secretary for Swapo Youth League: "Where were they this Gayism and lesbianism and what have you? When we were fighting for this country they were not mentioned here. After independence there is people who want to impose us something which we don't want...that is what we are saying...No for it"

As Parliament news footage starts (sub-title '6 November 1998 courtesy of NBC)

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VOICE-OVER :"But this no has gone even further. In Parliament certain Ministers have even proposed laws calling for the elimination of gay people... "

UPS PALIAMENT "On the question of elimination, elimination has got many meanings...to get rid off, to put aside, to ignore... check in the various dictionaries. Elimination does not mean only to kill"

UPS IAN : There are so many Swapo MPs who are sitting in Parliament not at all agreeing with what the president is saying but how can they express that...because if you say you do not agree with what the president is saying you are without a job the next day"

UPS Paulus Kapia-Secretary for Swapo Youth League :But we are talking loyality...loyality, if you are given a responsibility as a government employee you must be loyal...if you are not loyal that's why they say you must quit"

00 13 39 18

UPS IAN : One of our parliamentarians who are very very a heterosexual woman...has been labeled lesbian...ah...because she asked very critical questions..."

UPS Paulus Kapia-Secretary for Swapo Youth League :"Since last year we start a Swapo Youth League...and Swapo members in general who demand Swapo party government to employ the right people, loyal Namibians...

Dissolve into motorcade

...and Swapo party guards"

VOICE-OVER :"Back in Otavi it's a public holiday. The President attends a rally. Here he delivers another of his hard hitting speeches.."

UPS SAM NUJOMA: "We still have many enemies, they're in front of me...on my right hand, on my left hand and behind me."

UPS GWEN LISTER -Editor- The Namibian :"I often think to myself that surely he can't really mean that...uhmm...but he's saying it and there are others who are going to be spared by his words. This is what worries me...perhaps his comments are taken literally by people and then we will have mayhem in this country."

over news footage ...

SUBTITLE:3 October-courtesy of NBC

VOICE OVER: "Many people have already started to take him literally. This is the Jerry Ekandjo...Minister of Home Affairs, He's addressing new police recruits at their graduation ceremony.....

UPS Jerry Ekandjo(subtitle):"There is a certain crime which is increasing...and that crime is to be a gay and lesbian and also...we must make sure, no gayism, no lesbians in Namibia. The Constitution of the Republic of Namibia does not guarantee gayism...and lesbian, that is immoral act and we must make sure that... we eliminate it from the face of Namibia."

UPS KENNY : "Arresting us that is one of the things I am frightened of, I am not frightened of being deported because where to am I going to be deported to...being arrested, go to jail, being tortured."

Boarding the busses

VOICE OVER: "Finally it's time to board the busses.. No one knows what to expect.To counter threats from the youth league... the march has been given a strongly human-rights focus. This, it's hoped, will offer at least some protection to those who want to march ... but don't want to be identified as gay (pause ) ... But even with this added precaution no one knows if enough people will show up ... "

00 16 15 17

Handing out posters...

NATURAL SOUND: I'm not a moffie... I'm a lesbain

VOICE OVER: "As the march begins, these fears are put to rest. Gay people and their supporters turn out in force... filling the streets of downtown Windhoek with the sound of music and dancing. In the most anti-gay period of its history ... Namibia holds its first gay pride march ..."

UPS KENNY : "To day I was frightened when I started to march I thought to myself... hell or high water... if we don't do something about it now everybody is gonna leave the country. Everybody is gonna go into hiding and I am not a person to pretend. I hate pretending... I hate living a lie, why must I live behind closed doors? Why can't I be free as all other people...hum...why cant I say that's my boyfriend when another person can say that?"

On end of Kenny talking at march

AD BREAK

Anthem

UPS IAN : "All the people here believe in equality for all humans, believe in human rights for all humans and we call upon the present government to stop the hate speech against gays and lesbians and all other minorities."

VOICE-OVER : "The march is a resounding success. That night... the gays and lesbians in Katutura, Windhoek's township, gather to celebrate...

watching tv

VOICE-OVER : "This shebeen is run by Castakes Anton and her uncle... It's the only gay shebeen in Namibia."

music

UPS CASTAKES ANTON : "If they are going to arrest us, this is the first place they'll come. Let them come. I believe everyone who comes here is prepared...to go to jail or whatever the President wants to do with us..."

VOICE-OVER : "The march passes .. and no one is arrested. But the hate speech continues...

Now it's no longer just gays and Lesbians who are targeted... Christians.. Afrikaans speakers and foreigners also feel the President's wrath. "

00 20 04 04

UPS NEWS REPORTER (subtitle May 2000 courtesy of NBC):"The president has condemned the use of human rights in defense of homosexual practices"

UPS SAM : "There was no human rights here, it is in the SWAPO government. That is what brought human rights here. They've been colonising us, oppressing us, they enslaved us. What the hell are they talking about, human rights?"

UPS GWEN LISTER -Editor- The Namibian :"Its very obvious to everyone that the president is angry, but why he is angry obviously again... it's a matter of speculation."

UPS ROSA NAMISES-OPPOSITION MP : "He has a very aggressive temper and he loses his temper at times..."

UPS SAM : "They are demonstrating. they even have the audacity to demonstrate...in this country."

UPS André du Pisani-University of Namibia "The President now has a tendency to depart from his prepared text...and then he goes almost mad and it's a form of madness... a form of political madness... where he attacks left right and center. He looses his temper."

Two young girls dancing

00 21 09 15

UPS André du Pisani-University of Namibia : "What we seeing now is a different pattern of politics. The politics of a big man. The big man has to demonstrate that he has power...you have to demonstrate power visibly...is not good enough to say you have it constitutionally... you have to present your power... you have to demonstrate power publicly."

UPS GWEN LISTER -Editor- The Namibian :"Nobody is exempt now from the president and as much as gays and lesbians are worried about what he's going to do next about them or whether they are going to be arrested or deported... so too I think are the ministers darn nervous about what he's gonna say or do to them next."

VOICE-OVER : "Gwen's relationship with the President goes back to 1984. They first met when she, as a young journalist, was summoned to Paris to interview him. "

00 22 00 22

UPS GWEN LISTER -Editor- The Namibian :"You know there's a lot of people in Namibia in government as well who really believe that Namibia should not go down the path of these many African countries...I remember the president said to me... I want Namibia to be the first success story in Africa and those were his words...so I believe that some time or other he's got to realise that that is not how its going to happen."

shots of meeting with Mugabe

UPS IAN : "He does imitate what Robert Mugabe does and I believe that Namibia is going the way Zimbabwe went."

UPS SAM : "Well I think Zimbabwe have been doing well..."

UPS IAN : "In Zimbabwe everywhere everybody is loosing...there are just no winners in the situation and I actually fear the same for Namibia...I fear that in the end we are all going to be a bunch of losers."

UPS Paul Kalenga -ex student leader "I think he knows what his doing. He has a definite strategy or maybe we need to understand what kind of strategy is it."

travel shot

00 23 15 05

VOICE-OVER : "And precisely what that strategy is begins to emerge a few days later when we visit Swakopmund on the Namibian coast. Here we learn more about the rural Oshiwambo people... who form the largest section of the President's support base. "

the boys singing ....

VOICE-OVER : "All of these men are Oshivambo-speakers from staunch Swapo-supporting families... To be gay in Namibia at the present moment is difficult enough... but to be gay and Oshiwambo-speaking is virtually unthinkable..."

UPS HITLER DASILVA ; "I feel that my life it's useless, I've even tried to commit suicide...honestly."

UPS EMMY ALFUNDE (subtitle) "They think of us as cripples...as people who aren't normal..."

UPS GERSON URI-KHOB : "We form something which has been deformed...it seems to be that we are deformed."

UPS HITLER DASILVA ; They said if you are a gay...a person who is a gay... they can...burn you with a...with a fire on your buttocks, honestly."

VOICE-OVER : "As shocking as this practice may sound, it is fairly widespread. Many rural Owambo people are violently homophobic. This TV debate took place a month ago..."

 

Visuals of achive news material.

TV Guest: "they were using hot flaming sticks ... to put it in the backside of those people... to try and stop them from that behaviour. It was part of their upbringing to make sure you bend the child in the right direction"

00 25 16 17

UPS HITLER DASILVA ; "Honestly, so I be scared so I just kept it as my private I never talk to anybody."

UPS Paul Kalenga -ex student leader "It's still something that people do not know... therefore, it must be fought, it must be feared...it must be undermined."

UPS SAM : "They also come back with the other...manoeuvres of confusing us...with the theology or the teaching or the behaviour of so called lesbian and homosexualism. Those who want to do that... pack up and go back to Europe."

00 25 59 05

UPS HITLER DASILVA ; What have we done...what have we done to ..."

UPS EMMY ALFUNDE : "We upset him so much that he... he's my president and I like him... although he exile us... say that we must be set out... I have respect on him."

UPS Paul Kalenga -ex student leader "The strategy to...is a political strategy to say things that maybe the majority of the voters particularly the rural constituency, the elder generation,...uh...the uneducated, illeterate people can understand."

cars leaving the rally

VOICE-OVER : "And getting them to understand and support him is critical. Before the last election the Constitution was changed allowing President Nujoma to serve a third term. But this was for one extra term only. Recently there have been reports that he's been rapidly losing support in the top echelons of Government... whether this is true or not, it is clear he doesn't yet have the overwhelming support needed to change the constitution - again. "

00 27 01 00

UPS OPPOSING MP : "Its about the fourth time...it's about gaining votes...it's about raising support for himself, and rallying people around him."

UPS SAM :"it's never my intention to serve again because...I'm too old... I have to give way to the young people...but I will remain in the party leadership and work...uuhh...with the young people, because they move fast and I am no longer able to move fast."

grandchildren

VOICE-OVER : "The President may deny he's planning on running for a fourth term. But many, threatened by his recent behaviour, remain sceptical... "

UPS SAM :"So that is human evolution, we all go once we get old...to where our ancestors have gone to...okay bye chau!! Bye Gogo!"

00 28 15 17

CREDITS

"OUTRO : PRESENTER: "Hate speech against gays and lesbians isn't the only sign of a hardening of attitudes in Namibia.The government has recently banned all government departments from buying or advertising in the country's largest newspaper the Namibian. They urging the people to shun the paper because it's critical of them."

THE END