Swanu insists on ancestral land

Namibia's oldest political party wants the second national land conference to come up with methods that would ensure land taken by colonisers is returned to the descendants of the Ovaherero and Nama victims slain during the 1904-08 genocide. The second national land conference is set to review about 24 resolutions of the first national land conference, held in 1991, in an attempt to find solutions to the land question. In its position paper on land, Swanu urges the government to look at how these victims could be compensated in the event that land cannot be returned. The party also advocates land expropriation as a solution to land reform to grant communities permanent access to their sacred sites. “Land distribution structure must be made with the understanding that their implementation may initiate different long-term development trends. The existing land distribution pattern in Namibia is inefficient and therefore incapable of sustaining long-term diversified agricultural development,” the paper states. The paper further urges the government to resolve that the German, South African, British and Portuguese governments be requested to contribute to a fund that would be used to help address the skewed land ownership caused by their colonial governments. “It is recommended that a judicial commission of inquiry on land acquisition and allocation for the period between 1884 and 1990 be established to ascertain that land was illegally confiscated and legally expropriated by the Germans from Namibians and then alienated to the white settlers,” Swanu urges. According to the party's position paper the proposed judicial commission will establish the legality of private ownership or lack of it. “JCELAA 1884-1990 will also cast some light on legal instruments that were used in the land acquisition and allocation during the pre-independence era and on that basis to accept the provision of article 140 of the Namibian constitution if we have difficulties,” the paper states. JEMIMA BEUKES

Swanu insists on ancestral land

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-25

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Swanu insists on ancestral land

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-25

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