Namibia intercepts vessel carrying explosives material for Israel, citing genocide convention
The Namibian government has barred the Portuguese-flagged MV Kathrin cargo vessel from entering its territorial waters under suspicions that the ship carries military equipment and “explosive material” for Israel.
“Yes, I have asked Namport via the line ministry to consider the request to not allow the vessel MV Kathrin to dock in our ports. The request was made on Friday,” Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab told Namibian daily New Era on 26 August.
“Upon receiving reports that a vessel may be carrying weapons intended for Israel, I addressed a letter to Cabinet, international relations ministry, works ministry, as well as the safety and security ministry, advising and reminding them of our international obligations, not only under the Genocide Convention but also as articulated in the recent advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” she added.
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Citing a police investigation, Dausab confirmed the MV Kathrin was “indeed carrying explosive material destined for Israel.” “Namibia complies with our obligation not to support or be complicit in Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, as well as its unlawful occupation of Palestine.”
The ship, owned by German company Concord Shipping, had requested permission to dock at the port of Walvis Bay before continuing its journey north, likely toward the Mediterranean via the Strait of Gibraltar.
Last week, rights groups warned Windhoek that the country could implicate itself in grave human rights violations had it allowed the vessel to dock.
“We are pleased that our government has decided to respect international law and decided not to be complicit to genocide,” the chairman of the Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT) human rights group, Herbert Jauch, told the BBC.
Earlier this year, former Namibian president Hage Geingob made headlines after chastising Germany’s “shocking decision” to support Israel in the genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) brought by South Africa.
“Germany cannot morally express commitment to the United Nations Convention against genocide, including atonement for the genocide in Namibia, whilst supporting the equivalent of a holocaust and genocide in Gaza,” the statement from his office read.
Proofreading by Fa’izatu Aliyu Doma, Journalist at Neptune Prime.
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