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<div class="gmail-td-post-header"><header class="gmail-td-post-title"><h1 class="entry-title">Liswani III calls Dukwe exiles to come back home</h1><div class="gmail-td-module-meta-info"> <span class="gmail-td-post-date"><time class="entry-date gmail-updated gmail-td-module-date" datetime="2018-07-31T08:54:49+00:00">July 31, 2018</time></span><div class="gmail-td-post-comments"><a href="https://www.newera.com.na/2018/07/31/liswani-iii-calls-dukwe-exiles-to-come-back-home/#respond"><i class="gmail-td-icon-comments"></i>0</a></div><div class="gmail-td-post-views"><i class="gmail-td-icon-views"></i><span class="gmail-td-nr-views-142575">520</span></div></div></header></div><div class="gmail-td-post-sharing gmail-td-post-sharing-top gmail-td-with-like"><div class="gmail-td-classic-sharing"><ul><li class="gmail-td-classic-facebook"></li><li class="gmail-td-classic-twitter"> </li></ul></div></div><div class="gmail-td-post-content"><div class="gmail-td-post-featured-image"><figure><a href="https://www.newera.com.na/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Liswani-III.jpg?x26073" class="gmail-td-modal-image"><img class="entry-thumb gmail-td-animation-stack-type0-1" src="https://www.newera.com.na/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Liswani-III-696x464.jpg?x26073" alt="" title="Liswani III" width="696" height="464"></a><figcaption class="gmail-wp-caption-text">Chief Kisco Liswani III of the Masubia tribe</figcaption></figure></div><div class="gmail-g gmail-g-3"><div class="gmail-g-single gmail-a-7"> <ins class="gmail-adsbygoogle" style="display:block;height:60px"><ins id="gmail-aswift_1_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:60px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:696px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="gmail-aswift_1_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:60px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:696px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins> </div></div><p><span id="gmail-more-142575"></span></p><p>Nicholas Chaka</p><p>BUKALO
– Chief of the Masubia tribe Kisco Liswani III on Saturday made an
impassioned appeal to over 800 Namibians holed up at Dukwe refugee camp
in Botswana to come back home through the current voluntary
repatriation.<br> Liswani III made the remarks at the Veekuhane annual
cultural festival at his traditional headquarters at Bukalo that was
attended by Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba, several ministers and
thousands of ordinary Namibians.<br> In the speech read on his behalf by
Dr Bennett Kangumu, the head of the Unam campus at Katima Mulilo, the
Masubia chief advised the youth to cherish the freedom that they enjoy
responsibly because the current peace and stability did not come on a
silver platter.</p><p>Taking a veiled swipe at the minority
pro-secessionist group, he appealed to fellow Namibians in the Zambezi
Region to preserve the existing peace and protect the territorial
integrity of Namibia as recognised by international laws.</p><p>He
assured government that “there is no confusion” among members of the
Masubia tribe that he leads on the question of whether Zambezi is an
integral part of Namibia “because it is and will remain so now and
forever”.<br> “And I also doubt any traditional authority in the Zambezi
Region will permit secessionist activities in their areas of
jurisdiction if their pronouncements on this issue are anything to go
by,” he said in reference to the other chiefs in the Zambezi who also
denounced the pro-secessionist Caprivi Concerned Group.</p><p>He said he
fully supports government efforts to facilitate the safe and dignified
return of the hundreds of Namibians still sheltered at Dukwe in
Botswana.</p><p>Liswani III also said he is amused that Silozi continues
being considered by many Namibians in Zambezi as it is the only mother
tongue being taught in schools despite the fact the region has several
other languages such as Subia, Yeyi, Fwe, Mbukushu and a scattering of
San speakers. He wants the introduction of other mother tongues at
schools in the region as this will go a long way in cultural
preservation.</p><p>“We are very concerned in the erosion which will
over time lead to the natural extinction of indigenous languages. This
is very real in our case where our children don’t learn mother tongue
language in our schools for Silozi is misconstrued as mother tongue in
language policy circles for instruction in school,” stressed Chief
Liswani III.<br> He also urged the government to consider fast-tracking
the establishment of a national institute for the preservation and
promotion of indigenous languages as he feels the establishment of this
institute will play a pivotal role in the preservation of indigenous
languages in Namibia.</p><p>“Language is the medium through which
cultural preservation that we are celebrating here today is transmitted.
For our cultures to survive the pressures of globalization we need to
be seriously concerned with the preservation of our indigenous languages
and we believe that such an institute will go a long way in addressing
this issue,” he said.</p><p>This year the annual Masubia festival was
celebrated under the theme: “Tuvahamwina, Tulivumbe,” which can
literally be translated, “We should build together for we are one. “</p><p>Paramount
Chief of Vekuhane in Botswana, Chobe District, Sinvula Maiba Konkwena,
as he has done in previous years was also in attendance while
Chieftainship Joyce Nalucha Sekute of the Toka-Leya in Kazungula
District in the southern province of Zambia also graced the occasion
that attracted several traditional dancers who showcased their skills to
a highly appreciative audience.</p><p>• Nicholas Chaka is a senior
information officer in the Ministry of Information and Communication
Technology (MICT) based in Katima Mulilo.</p></div>
<br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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