Reconciliation needs to be accepted and be sees to work for stability and peace

The stance of President Pohamba of refusing to grant veterans’ status to former SWAT/ KOEVOET soldiers in Namibia is creating unnecessary instability and insecurity in the country and could lead to the undoing of the National Reconciliation Policy, including inside the security and armed forces. Demobilised soldiers in most cases are treated equally in many places and counties to avoid continued conflict and destabilisation of the countries.

It does not help to hold grudges with former soldiers, some of whom were simply fighting for survival and not necessarily based on ideological orientation.

Soldiers who have joined forces after independence treat each other as comrades-in-arms and have taken oath to protect their peers in force.

When you are in combat the first important thing is to stand up for your men. You do not worry about politics or historical settling of scores.

Let us all unite and reconcile in the true sense of the word and not try to win political glory on the back of inconsequential issues.

After all, wars are fought by soldiers and not by politicians. What politicians have been good at is to use soldiers to kill one another, sometimes for political and personal interests, and you do not need that in a peaceful country such as Namibia.