Namundjebo Allexer
The Redline is typically referred to as arbitrary boundaries and divisions that were imposed by European colonial powers without any regard for existing ethnic, cultural or geographical realities during Africa’s colonial times.
These colonial borders often disregarded the natural or historical boundaries of various African societies and were drawn primarily to serve the interests of the colonial powers.
In Namibia, the inherited Redline is the biggest threat to our local and international trade, as well as the agricultural sector. The Redline, which isolates the southern part of Namibia, was a result of the Berlin conference, which was held in 1884 in Berlin, Germany, and it restricts the movement of trading in our country due to the so-called “health risks” products from the northern, eastern and western part of Namibia.
The Namibian people are made to believe that no other part of the country can export agricultural products to the rest of Namibia due to the reasons that our agricultural products, plus meat, are contaminated and unfit for human consumption, which is not true!
The Redline is just a tool designed by the white minorities in Namibia, who are trying to suppress the black majority and dominate the market in Namibia and the rest of the world.
Currently, one will not be permitted to export meat, wild spinach, Kavango lemons, mangoes and other agricultural products from either the northern or eastern part of the country to either Walvis Bay/ Otjinene for consumption because the stationed agriculture officials at Oshivelo will confiscate these products – not because they are unfit for consumption, as they are saying, but it is because of how the system was designed to protect white supremacy in Namibia.
Additionally, we have clever blacks, who are a tool of supremacy, given the position – be it in government or white companies to fight other blacks.
These individuals are against the removal of the Redline and are ready to sell the country to the whites by defending the Redline at all costs.
If we look at how the agricultural sector is performing in Namibia, one might think that we have infertile land because it is just contributing less than 29% to our GDP, while we can do better than that.
Our Agriculture sector can contribute up to 60% if the Redline is removed because we will boost our local trade and produce our food, instead of waiting for a certain van Wyk with a farm between Otavi and Otjiwarongo to produce potatoes and sell to us. The removal of the Redline will also lead to the reduction of inflation in Namibia because food production will increase and everyone will be motivated to be a farmer.
Currently, our people in the northern part of Namibia, who own large, fertile land, are sitting, relaxed, waiting for the rain – only hoping to produce Mahangu, beans and nuts.
But if they were given the opportunity to export Omahangu to the rest of the country, they would start producing more of these products and start supplying them to the rest of the country and to the whole of SADC, which will contribute to our country’s GDP.
We are made to believe that our meat and all agricultural products from outside the Redline are contaminated and unfit for consumption.
But if we are to analyse this very well, one will wonder why the government is doing nothing to ensure that inhabitants from the northern part of the country are protected from the so-called contaminated meat.
Is the government abandoning those outside the Redline and letting them eat contaminated products, or what is happening?
Our young generation needs answers from the government as to why it is fooling us and why it is still okay for a country to be divided.
The Redline must go. We want to revive and strengthen our agricultural sector. It must go – not tomorrow, not next year but today.
* Namundjebo Allexer is a student at Namibia University of Science and Technology studying towards a Bachelor of English and Linguistics.
- nanamundjembo@gmail.com