Human Rights Impacts of the Fishrot Scandal - 'We Are The Ones That Suffered The Most' 6 March 2024

Namibia’s Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has documented the severe human toll of the Fishrot scandal through interviews with Namibian fishing industry workers, who detail their struggles to find employment and provide for their families. The IPPR calls on Icelandic fishing company Samherji to apologize for its role in Fishrot to the Namibians impacted, and urges full redress to affected individuals and communities. The IPPR recommends the creation of an independent Namibian foundation that is empowered to provide lasting assistance to the victims of corruption.

A group of Namibian workers have revealed the impact that the Fishrot corruption scandal has had on their lives, in a report released today by Namibia’s Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), in partnership with the British High Commission. In the report, thirteen Namibian fishing industry workers provide a human voice to the devastating impact of corruption by detailing their struggles to secure new employment, maintain basic living standards and participate meaningfully in societal activities.

Former deck hand Thomas Haimbala said that his life is “so bad” now because of a lack of money. “I want to buy [things], but there’s no money. I want to get married, but there’s no money”. He added: I’m concerned about the future, about tomorrow … if it will be worse or if it will be better.” Several former Namibian government officials are set to stand trial over the Fishrot scandal, accused of receiving payments from representatives of Icelandic fishing company Samherji in exchange for lucrative fishing quotas. Local fishing company Namsov Fishing Enterprises lost out by either receiving no such quotas or heavily reduced quotas from 2014 onwards. As a result, at least 1,000 workers, including Haimbala, lost their jobs.

The Namibians impacted by the Fishrot scandal are yet to receive adequate redress for the losses they have suffered. As a result, the IPPR calls for:

1. Samherji to issue a formal acknowledgment and apology for its role in Fishrot, directly addressing affected individuals, communities, and Namibian society at large.
2. Samherji to make full redress to directly affected and impacted individuals and communities for the disruption and devastation inflicted on their lives as a result of Fishrot.