Ancestral land debate on the cards
The president's Independence Day speech hinted at a possible change in the government's stance on ancestral land claims.
President Hage Geingob has welcomed proposals on ancestral land claims, despite his government's stance that such debate would threaten national security.
In his speech at the Independence Day celebration at Rundu, Geingob urged Namibians to join hands to reach national consensus on the issue of ancestral land before proceeding with new measures to address the land issue.
“In terms of ancestral land, we welcome proposals from all concerned Namibians so that we are able to reach a national consensus before proceeding with new measures to address the land problem. Of course one question I ask addressing land is who the owners of Windhoek and surrounding areas are?” he said.
In January, lands minister Utoni Nujoma said the government would not entertain any talk about ancestral land claims, because that would promote Bantustans and tribalism.
Meanwhile, Landless People's Movement (LPM) spokesperson Paul Thomas says the president's comment is an “empty promise aimed at defusing the enthusiasm behind land activists”.
“We have not yet sat down to discuss his new stance but we believe it is just to put a stop to land activism,” he said.
Legal expert Professor Nico Horn has cautioned that the government must prepare itself for very frank discussions about ancestral land and how to balance the rights of the people of the south with those of the people of the north who were deprived of land ownership under apartheid rule.
Emphasising that southern tribes have a legitimate claim to ancestral land, Horn warned that the government would have to prepare itself for claims from people in the north who could not own land because of apartheid laws.
“There will be a lot of things for government to discuss. You have to look at the German occupation in the 1800s and the South African government after 1914. The LPM must explain to government what they mean by ancestral land and how they want to solve the matter,” he said.
Horn also warned that there must be budgetary provision for compensating claimants should the government choose to entertain the ancestral land debate.
Political analyst Phanuel Kaapama welcomed the president's appeal for proposals, adding that such proposals and insights, once codified in coherent legal and policy frameworks, would make for perfect solutions to the land issue.
He said such deliberations were of paramount importance, especially when dealing with prime land such as the Etosha National Park, which some believe is the ancestral land of the San people, in particular the Hai//om.
“There could be a discussion based on national interest. For example, say there is a mine which contributes billions of dollars to state coffers situated on a farm which others believe is their ancestral land. Provisions will have to be made to address this,” he said.
Kaapama believes that Namibia can learn from South Africa, where the government made specific provision for ancestral land claims.
“We can learn a lot from South Africa. All along, Namibia has said ancestral land claims will threaten peace and security. We can learn from South Africa which has gone through the same experience as us and yet they have these provisions in place.”
Kaapama also believes it is important for Namibia to establish a timeframe for ancestral land claims.
JEMIMA BEUKES
In his speech at the Independence Day celebration at Rundu, Geingob urged Namibians to join hands to reach national consensus on the issue of ancestral land before proceeding with new measures to address the land issue.
“In terms of ancestral land, we welcome proposals from all concerned Namibians so that we are able to reach a national consensus before proceeding with new measures to address the land problem. Of course one question I ask addressing land is who the owners of Windhoek and surrounding areas are?” he said.
In January, lands minister Utoni Nujoma said the government would not entertain any talk about ancestral land claims, because that would promote Bantustans and tribalism.
Meanwhile, Landless People's Movement (LPM) spokesperson Paul Thomas says the president's comment is an “empty promise aimed at defusing the enthusiasm behind land activists”.
“We have not yet sat down to discuss his new stance but we believe it is just to put a stop to land activism,” he said.
Legal expert Professor Nico Horn has cautioned that the government must prepare itself for very frank discussions about ancestral land and how to balance the rights of the people of the south with those of the people of the north who were deprived of land ownership under apartheid rule.
Emphasising that southern tribes have a legitimate claim to ancestral land, Horn warned that the government would have to prepare itself for claims from people in the north who could not own land because of apartheid laws.
“There will be a lot of things for government to discuss. You have to look at the German occupation in the 1800s and the South African government after 1914. The LPM must explain to government what they mean by ancestral land and how they want to solve the matter,” he said.
Horn also warned that there must be budgetary provision for compensating claimants should the government choose to entertain the ancestral land debate.
Political analyst Phanuel Kaapama welcomed the president's appeal for proposals, adding that such proposals and insights, once codified in coherent legal and policy frameworks, would make for perfect solutions to the land issue.
He said such deliberations were of paramount importance, especially when dealing with prime land such as the Etosha National Park, which some believe is the ancestral land of the San people, in particular the Hai//om.
“There could be a discussion based on national interest. For example, say there is a mine which contributes billions of dollars to state coffers situated on a farm which others believe is their ancestral land. Provisions will have to be made to address this,” he said.
Kaapama believes that Namibia can learn from South Africa, where the government made specific provision for ancestral land claims.
“We can learn a lot from South Africa. All along, Namibia has said ancestral land claims will threaten peace and security. We can learn from South Africa which has gone through the same experience as us and yet they have these provisions in place.”
Kaapama also believes it is important for Namibia to establish a timeframe for ancestral land claims.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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