Namibia Urged to Block Suspected Military Cargo Ship to 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English

23 Aug 2024 16:47

ESJT chairperson Herbert Jauch expresses serious concerns that the MV Kathrin may be carrying cargo intended for use in the ongoing war on Gaza.

The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) has been urged to refuse entry to a vessel suspected of transporting military cargo intended for the Israeli occupation entity, The Namibian news website reported Thursday.

The Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT), a Namibian human rights organization, has called for the denial of docking permission for the MV Kathrin.

In an open letter addressed to Namport CEO Andrew Kanime, ESJT chairperson Herbert Jauch expressed serious concerns that the MV Kathrin, scheduled to dock at Walvis Bay on Monday, August 26, may be carrying cargo intended for use in the ongoing war on Gaza.

The letter, also sent to Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Peya Mushelenga, references a similar incident in July, where the MV Nordic allegedly transported military supplies from India to "Israel" through the same port.

"We therefore call on Namport to act in accordance with Namibia’s commitment to prevent genocide and not to be complicit in it," Jauch indicated.

He warned that "by allowing a ship carrying ammunition and equipment that will possibly be used in the commission of genocide, to dock at any Namibian harbour, Namport may be making itself and the country complicit to genocide."

The ESJT chairperson further stressed that Namibia must never be a party to genocide and highlighted the country’s obligations as a signatory to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Jauch also recalled that "Namibia has also repeatedly voiced its opposition to current violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws committed by Israel in Gaza."

Elsewhere, he warned that allowing the MV Kathrin to dock could implicate Namibia in potential human rights violations.

Namibia calls for ending injustice against Palestinians

In January, the late Namibian President Hage Geingob condemned the decision of the country's former colonial ruler, Germany, to reject accusations against "Israel" by South Africa of "genocide" at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Namibia "rejects Germany's support of the genocidal intent of the racist Israeli state," the presidency said in a statement.

Geingob accused Berlin of ignoring the "deaths of over 23,000 Palestinians in Gaza" and defending in front of the ICJ "the genocidal and gruesome acts of the Israeli Government."

During proceedings held by the ICJ to evaluate the legal ramifications of "Israel's" policies and actions in occupied Palestine, Namibia's Minister of Justice, Yvonne Dausab, called on the court to end the injustice that has been suffocating the Palestinians for over 57 years, accusing the Israeli occupation forces of practicing “collective punishment" against the population in the besieged Gaza Strip.