Africa-Press – Namibia. LAND rights activist and Ancestral Land Foundation of Namibia (Aflon) associate Jarri Tjeja-ua Tjatindi has accused previous administrations, including the current one, of having an elitist approach to tackling land reform and ancestral land issues.
Speaking to Desert Radio 95.3 FM yesterday, Tjatindi referred to an incident at Gam in the Otjzondjupa region, during which residents clashed with shop owners and other business people at the settlement.
He said Gam residents’ claims that people from different tribes are infiltrating their settlement are valid.
“Most people want to reference the Constitution that all people have the right to settle anywhere.
“The very same Constitution also protects people’s rights, and when it comes to the control and use of land and other resources. The same Constitution also gives precedence to people to decide over their own territories,” he said.
Tjatindi said Namibians need to address the issue of elitism to equitably deal with the resettlement and ancestral land issue.
He accused leaders of prioritising certain tribes in Namibia over others when it comes to resettlement.
“There are people who feel entitled and more ‘Namibian’ than others. This has been demonstrated by the manner in which the land reform programme is being administered,” he said.
Former prime minister Nahas Angula, who has been accused of being part of an administration with an ‘elitist approach’, also spoke to Desert Radio 95.3 FM yesterday, and said the notion of elitism is a perception.
“Obviously, the Oshiwambo-speaking people, being so many . . . the likelihood is that many of them would have applied for affirmative resettlement. That may be the case, but it may also be a perception,” he said.
The former education minister said the only way to identify irregularities in resettlement is to look at records.
“The only way to establish that is to go to the land ministry and get the records of how many people have been resettled and how many people have bought farms, and calculate if it is disproportionate.
“Sometimes people just accuse other people because of perceptions, but sometimes perceptions become reality for some people, unfortunately,” Angula said.
Responding to the incident at Gam, Angula said it took place due to people feeling threatened.
“When people are poor, they feel threatened by people who are not of their origin. They feel their means of survival are being threatened by others,” he said.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
