KEETMANSHOOP – Despite successive national land indabas to address Namibia’s land question, the greater majority of the Nama population remains landless.
This is according to Nama Traditional Leaders Organisation (NTLA) secretary general, Deodat Dirkse.
“Although Namibia held its first land conference in 1992, our concerns were not addressed till now, to allow us to get back our ancestral land whilst government also negotiated on genocide reparations with the German government without involving our Nama leaders,’’ he said.
Dirkse was speaking during a recent stakeholder engagement in Keetmanshoop.
New Era reported recently that since the last national land conference, only 25 of the 169 resolutions taken at the 2018 land indaba have been fully implemented.
The resolutions emanated from five thematic areas. At the moment, the implementation of at least 133 resolutions is ongoing while one is pending.
Sixteen resolutions were already in place before the 2018 assembly, meaning they were adopted at the maiden land conference in 1992.
This technically means, only nine new resolutions have been fully implemented since the last conference.
Going down memory lane, Dirkse also highlighted the significance of the Hoachanas Treaty of 9 January 1958, which he said paved the way on how Gibeon, Bethanie, Gobabis, Gochas, Berseba - should be governed as a confederation.
“Another aspect discussed at the meeting was that of conflict resolution among each other, which made provision for issues to be solved amicably,’’ he explained.
Dirkse continued that as an example, it has been agreed during the said treaty that, “if a person from a certain tribe stole cattle from another one, it was the responsibility of the accused person(s) leaders to ensure that it is retrieved and returned to the rightful owner(s).”
“Another principle adopted at this treaty has been that any Nama person can move freely within his fellow tribe’s territory, but on condition that he or she shall be subjected to and obey such gaob’s authority and governance,’’ he said.
Dirkse then highlighted the NTLA’s objectives as that of guaranteeing for the existence of the Nama population with due recognition of their language, culture and tradition.
He also gave assurance that the genocide issue, which saw atleast 120 000 Nama and Ovaherero people die at the hands of colonial Germany in the first genocide of the 21st century, “will never happen again in an independent Namibia and also a speedy resolution for the land issue, ensuring those disadvantaged get their land back or be compensated accordingly”.