Wrong moves on land could destroy us – Geingob
President Hage Geingob says the country's burning land question should be dealt with in a responsible manner, in order to avoid devastating consequences that could destroy Namibia, if the issue is wrongly handled.
He also questioned whether Namibians will judge the current white farmers based on the sins committed by their forefathers.
There have been ever-louder calls across the country, ahead of the second national land conference in October, for the state to expropriate land without compensation from those, including absentee landlords, who own vast tracts of land. Geingob said as much as fellow Namibians are calling for the land owned by whites to be expropriated, one should bear in mind there are whites born in Namibia, which make them equal citizens.
“It is true that they came and stole the land 100 years ago, but a white boy was born on that land.” He was born on Namibian soil and has Namibian blood,” Geingob said while speaking at the official opening of the 2018 Eenhana Trade and Business Expo.
“As I was born with one of them at the same farm, I am a citizen and he is equally a citizen. Are we going to visit the sins of their fathers on them? The only problem is this, that boy and I are both citizens but he has the land and I don't have the land and that is an issue we are trying to address.”
However, he said that much as Namibians want the land issue to be addressed, it should done in responsible manner.
“Let us not create things that will divide us further. Our land was stolen and it's true, just as I was saying in South Africa in an interview.”
The interview Geingob was referring to was broadcast recently on Afro Worldview, a new 24-hour South African news channel.
In the one-on-one interview, Geingob said that “for our white brothers to co-exist, they must smell the coffee”.
“People are getting angry and we, the leaders, are still controlling them and what we are saying is let's do it together so that we all can live together. Let's solve this problem together,” Geingob said.
“White people must see that there is a danger somewhere. Some of us who are old will go very soon and the young people are angry, they are not going to be like us. So, while we are still here, let's meet and hold hands so that we address this issue.”
Speaking at Eenhana on Wednesday, he said: “If we make a mistake, we can also get some difficult times. It's easier to destroy, but difficult to build. It takes a long time to build.”
During regional consultation meetings ahead of the October national land conference many have been calling on the state to expropriate land without compensation.
At the 1991 land conference Namibia adopted the willing buyer, willing seller concept as a way to address the unequal distribution of land.
The policy sees the state buying farms to resettle people.
However, after 27 years, this policy has been regarded as a failure, because government has only managed to buy few farms, while vast land lies idle, owned by absentee landlords, among others.
Geingob said it is indeed true that over a century ago land belonging to those that lived in Namibia was stolen from them by colonisers.
KENYA KAMBOWE
He also questioned whether Namibians will judge the current white farmers based on the sins committed by their forefathers.
There have been ever-louder calls across the country, ahead of the second national land conference in October, for the state to expropriate land without compensation from those, including absentee landlords, who own vast tracts of land. Geingob said as much as fellow Namibians are calling for the land owned by whites to be expropriated, one should bear in mind there are whites born in Namibia, which make them equal citizens.
“It is true that they came and stole the land 100 years ago, but a white boy was born on that land.” He was born on Namibian soil and has Namibian blood,” Geingob said while speaking at the official opening of the 2018 Eenhana Trade and Business Expo.
“As I was born with one of them at the same farm, I am a citizen and he is equally a citizen. Are we going to visit the sins of their fathers on them? The only problem is this, that boy and I are both citizens but he has the land and I don't have the land and that is an issue we are trying to address.”
However, he said that much as Namibians want the land issue to be addressed, it should done in responsible manner.
“Let us not create things that will divide us further. Our land was stolen and it's true, just as I was saying in South Africa in an interview.”
The interview Geingob was referring to was broadcast recently on Afro Worldview, a new 24-hour South African news channel.
In the one-on-one interview, Geingob said that “for our white brothers to co-exist, they must smell the coffee”.
“People are getting angry and we, the leaders, are still controlling them and what we are saying is let's do it together so that we all can live together. Let's solve this problem together,” Geingob said.
“White people must see that there is a danger somewhere. Some of us who are old will go very soon and the young people are angry, they are not going to be like us. So, while we are still here, let's meet and hold hands so that we address this issue.”
Speaking at Eenhana on Wednesday, he said: “If we make a mistake, we can also get some difficult times. It's easier to destroy, but difficult to build. It takes a long time to build.”
During regional consultation meetings ahead of the October national land conference many have been calling on the state to expropriate land without compensation.
At the 1991 land conference Namibia adopted the willing buyer, willing seller concept as a way to address the unequal distribution of land.
The policy sees the state buying farms to resettle people.
However, after 27 years, this policy has been regarded as a failure, because government has only managed to buy few farms, while vast land lies idle, owned by absentee landlords, among others.
Geingob said it is indeed true that over a century ago land belonging to those that lived in Namibia was stolen from them by colonisers.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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