MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES

FROM: Association of Former Namibian Students in Cuba and Namibia-Cuba Friendship Association

 

The bereaved mother, children, brothers, sisters and the entire family of late comrade Abraham “Puma” “Apele” Iyambo

Dear mourners

This message of condolences is a collective reflection of former students in Cuba, most of whom experienced shocking brutality of mankind at very tender ages during Kassinga Attack by South African Apartheid Forces in 1978. We would like to sincerely manifest our immense shock and profound sorrow to the untimely death of your beloved son, father and a friend Dr. Abraham Iyambo, the former Minister of Education who passed away on the 2nd of February 2013 in London.

The national reaction at the announcement of the untimely passing on of comrade Apele clearly indicate that the most admired qualities by our society are that of hard work, selfless dedication, commitment to National vision, - goals and objectives, for the common good. These qualities however are not accidentally acquired; they are consciously moulded by the society through persistent and consistent collective effort. The people of Cuba can proudly say: “Our system of Education and the ideology of our society have helped to shape the character of Namibian Youth educated in Cuba into reliable and dedicated cadres for independent Namibia”. Today we are paying homage to Cuban contribution.

In the hope that we would be able to better understand the driving forces in the thinking and action of the man that we are about to lay to rest, we will try to relate the fundamental pillars of Cuban Education System and ideology of that society in which we grew up. It was based on the belief that the aim of the education was to enable us to better serve our people and contribute to common good. Our service should extend beyond our national borders in the spirit of internationalism. These principles are not negotiable. One setback does not constitute a failure, because Victory is forever.

The late Dr. Abraham Iyambo, like many of us at the time left to exile in search of better future, free from Bantu Education and colonial oppression; ready to fight and die for freedom if need be. Despite the constant threats of aerial bombardments by the South African Apartheid regime and UNITA attacks, the visionary leadership of SWAPO ensured that the young ones attended school in the refugee camps like Ndjamba and Kassinga.

Some of us together with comrade Apele were lucky to be relocated to Chibia 20km South of Lubango to attend Spanish language training in preparation to go to Cuba. Some of us were even as lucky as just missing the Kassinga massacre by a day or two. Some miraculously survived this barbaric attack.

This is the core group that constituted the First Namibian Students to the Republic of Cuba by invitation of Commandante en Jefe, Fidel Castro Ruz to which compañero Apele was part of. Many of us at the arrival in Cuba went through a cultural shock in a positive sense. There were no tribal groupings only one Cuban tribe. Colour of skin was not an issue, only the character of human being mattered.

The late Dr. Abraham Iyambo was intellectually insightful and his strategic leadership who paved the way ahead for all Namibians and his immense economic contribution to the Land of the Brave will be forever remembered by all of us and generations to come.

Let us celebrate the life of the late comrade Dr. Abraham “Apele” Iyambo fully lived!

May his soul rest in eternal peace!

Patria o muerte, venceremos!