2018-05-31Staff Report 2 Clemans Miyanicwe KAMANJAB - Chief Max Haraseb of //Gaoio Daman Traditional Authority wants government to relocate residents of Anker due to earthquake tremors whose occurrence has apparently become frequent lately, reducing the indigenes to nervous wrecks. The area that has become a hotbed of seismic activity is located along the Kaoko Orogenic Belt, which is a regional tectonic unit on the north-west coast of Namibia. “If the government relocates us to a settlement farm there will be no problem. Anker people are affected (by frequent tremors) can be moved there but we will see what the government has for us,” Haraseb told New Era in a telephonic interview yesterday. “What must we say? Drought combined with earth tremors,” quipped the //Gaio Daman chief. The chief sent his secretary to Anker settlement last week after an earth tremor struck again, causing further cracks to houses as well as the Edward //Garoeb Primary School. “Walls of the houses and that of Edward //Garoeb Primary School cracked open. People are calling me frequently to alert me when tremors strike,” Haraseb said. The situation is so serious that pupils of the local school have been relocated together with staff to Fransfontein at the beginning of this term. Haraseb wondered whether the community will be relocated or if authorities would wait until a calamity from seismic activity occurs. “Pupils were relocated but should the community wait to be buried by earthquakes?” he queried. “I sent my secretary to Anker to look into the matter as the full responsibility of the people lies with me and we intend convening an urgent meeting this coming Saturday,” Haraseb further stated. The planned meeting on Saturday will decide on what the Anker community wants done for them due to frequent tremors before a meeting with various line ministries takes place on 5 June. The //Gaio Daman chief, who lives in Outjo, said he will attend the meeting as well as visit various places at Anker. The chief also called on the youth to advise him on the issue, saying: “Young people must also have a say on it. I will value their advice.” He was also concerned about the //Gaio Daman Traditional Authority offices, the auction kraal and hall built under the Namibia-German Special Initiative Programme (NGSIP) becoming white elephants if the community is relocated to a safe area away from the frequent tremors. New Era was informed plans are afoot to possibly relocate some government institutions and their staff such as the clinic as well the police station either to Terrace Bay or Esop, a farm near Anker. Earthquake tremors have lately also been felt at Khorixas, Erwee and Kamanjab, prompting Khorixas Community Radio (KH-FM) to ask on its social media pages if the southern part of Kunene was safe for habitation. 2018-05-31Staff Report 2
