The Caprivi Conflict

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The Caprivi conflict is 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.

[edit] 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 neigbhouring 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.

[edit] Course of the conflict

This resulted in the formation of the Caprivi Liberation Army in 1994. The rebel movements goal is Caprivi self-rule. Since 1998 it has been under the leadership of Mishake Muyongo who has been expelled from the DTA 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. ^[1]

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 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.