Caprivi conflict

Warbox
conflict= Caprivi Conflict
campaign=
colour_scheme=background:#bbcccc


caption= Military escort through the Caprivi Strip.
date= 1994 - 1999
place= Caprivi Strip, Namibia
result= Namibian government victory
combatant1= Flagicon|Namibia Namibian Government
combatant2= Caprivi Liberation Army
commander1= N/A
commander2= Mishake Muyongo
strength1= N/A
strength2= N/A
casualties1= N/A
casualties2= N/A|

The Caprivi conflict was an armed conflict in Namibia between the Caprivi Liberation Army, a rebel group working for the secession of the Caprivi Strip, and the Namibian government. [cite web |url=http://fas.org/irp/world/para/caprivi.htm |title=Caprivi Liberation Front |accessdate=2008-08-13 |format= |work=fas.org ]

Background

The Caprivi Strip in the north east of Namibia is mainly inhabited by the Lozi people. They share a common language and history, and often feel more connected with Lozi people in neighbouring countries Zambia, Angola and Botswana.

The Namibian government has accused the CLA of being allied with the Angolan rebel movement UNITA. UNITA is very unpopular in Namibia since it helped South Africa fighting SWAPO during the liberation struggle, and is considered to be an enemy of the state by many.Fact|date=July 2007

Course of the conflict

This resulted in the formation of the Caprivi Liberation Army in 1994. The rebel movement's goal is Caprivi self-rule. Since 1998 it had been under the leadership of Mishake Muyongo who has been expelled from the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance as a result of his support for the secession of his home region.

In October 1998 the Namibian government discovered a CLA training camp. That resulted in more than 100 armed CLA men fleeing into Botswana. Namibia called on Botswana to hand over the rebels, and President Nujoma called the rebels "traitors and murderers" and stated that they would be punished for their crimes.cite web
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/210444.stm
title = Namibia calls on Botswana to hand over rebels
publisher = BBC
accessdate = 2006-08-26]

In 1999 CLA launched an attack in Katima Mulilo, the provincial capital of the Caprivi Region, occupying the state-run radio station and attacking a police station and an army base. In the fighting that followed between rebel and government forces 14 people were killed. A state of emergency was declared in the province, and the government arrested alleged CLA supporters. Mishake Muyongo said that the rebellion was "just the beginning", but the government's hard crack down forced it to come to an abrupt stop.

The conflict sought many human rights abuses. Both Angolan and Namibian forces, and UNITA were accused of committing human rights violations against the population in the Caprivi Strip. [cite web
url = http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR030022000?open&of=ENG-NAM
title = Civilians suffer as Angolan conflict fuels insecurity on the Namibian border
publisher = Amnesty International
accessdate = 2008-08-13]

References