surveys help the Government to formulate better policies in order to address many challenges, including poverty reduction. 23. ARTICLE 23: PEACE AND SECURITY The Namibian Government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration is empowered by sections 49 (1) and 39 (2) of the Immigration Control Act, no 7 of 1993 to approach the Security Commission to declare any refugee/asylum seeker or any foreign national as a security threat once such an individual engages himself/herself in subversive activities. It was in this regard that two American nationals, Paul Gremes and Fredrick Piry, were declared security threats in 2007 by the said Commission and were subsequently removed from Namibia by immigration officers for recruiting Namibian citizens to go and work as security guards in Iraq and Afghanistan. Should it be a refugee/asylum seeker who engages in such activities or criminal activities the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration also follows the same procedures but when it comes to the removal of refugee/asylum seekers after they have been declared security threats, the principle of non refoulment is always observed by requesting the affected individuals to choose the third country to which they want to be deported, where they will not be subjected to persecutions. A case in point is that of Mr. Lumbala Kalamba Alias known as Mr. Kalamba who was convicted of fraudulent offences and sentenced to a fine of ten thousand Namibian (10 000) (approx. US$ 1000, 00) or one (1) year jail term, in default of payment of the fine in 2009, and was subsequently deported to a country of his choice. Namibia is one of the few countries in Africa that has consistently enjoyed peace and stability .The country is ranked 51st in the world, 2nd in southern Africa according to Global Peace Index (GPI) of 2013, with virtually no civil strife resulting from political turmoil. Democracy has expanded to a level where the country now has 15 political parties, which all vied for votes during the last elections in 2009. Political tolerance is visible in the various debates about important national programmes, while hate speech, racism or tribalism is discouraged and condemned by most institutions. - 44 -