{"id":100847,"date":"2026-04-14T14:23:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T14:23:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island"},"modified":"2026-04-14T15:15:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T15:15:05","slug":"hands-off-shark-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Hands off Shark Island\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>Dalene Kooper<\/b><\/p>\n

LU\u0308DERITZ \u2013 The Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA) is calling on the government to block the mooted industrial activities on Shark Island in Lu\u0308deritz.<\/p>\n

The NTLA held the annual genocide remembrance week at Lu\u0308deritz last week in honour of the genocide victims.<\/p>\n

The theme for this year\u2019s event, \u2018Hands off Shark Island\u2019, is calling on the government to halt any industrial activity plans.<\/p>\n

NTLA coordinator Maboss Ortmann called for an immediate halt to any industrial development on Shark Island, describing the island as a \u201cliving cemetery\u201d that must be preserved with dignity and respect.<\/p>\n

The call comes amid increasing economic activity in the \/\/Kharas region, including proposed oil and gas projects as well as green hydrogen developments.<\/p>\n

However, Nama representatives say such developments must not come at the expense of historically sacred sites.<\/p>\n

Ortman said that Shark Island holds deep historical and cultural significance to the Nama people as one of the sites where Nama and Herero people suffered and perished during the 1904-1908 genocide under German colonial rule.<\/p>\n

\u201cShark Island is a living cemetery. People were horrifically killed there. Many were decapitated and others died from forced labour, hunger and exposure to harsh weather conditions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that the environment itself, the ocean, strong winds and cold conditions were weaponised, contributing to the deaths of many victims.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of them never received proper burials. Their remains lie beneath the rocks or were thrown into the ocean. That is why we say this place must be treated with the utmost respect,\u201d he emphasised.<\/p>\n

NTLA argues that industrial activity, which brings noise, movement and disruption, is a disturbance to the sanctity of the site.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you establish industries in a burial place where our ancestors have not been laid to rest according to our customs?\u201d he questioned.<\/p>\n

The association is calling for consultation before any development decisions are taken.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop and engage the Nama and Ovaherero people. Sit down and listen to what the affected communities want. Respect our culture and our history,\u201d the coordinator said.<\/p>\n

He further warned against prioritising economic gains over human dignity.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou cannot measure the value of lives lost in monetary terms. Billions cannot replace the suffering of our people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHands off Shark Island,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen to the voices and the cries of those who are no longer here,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n

The organiser, George Vries, highlighted the events of the genocide and the need for awareness on the matter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important for us as a Nama community to come together in Lu\u0308deritz at Shark Island to remember how our ancestors were kept in the concentration camps as well as how they were slaughtered and raped,\u201d Vries said.<\/p>\n

He added that this year, they are educating communities and the youth, who will go ahead and inform the next generation.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Namibia<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. Dalene Kooper LU\u0308DERITZ \u2013 The Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA) is calling on the government to block the mooted industrial activities on Shark Island in Lu\u0308deritz. The NTLA held the annual genocide remembrance week at Lu\u0308deritz last week in honour of the genocide victims. The theme for this year\u2019s event, \u2018Hands off […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":100846,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[233],"class_list":["post-100847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-namibia"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Hands off Shark Island\u2019 - Namibia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dalene Kooper LU\u0308DERITZ \u2013 The Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA) is calling on the government to block ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Hands off Shark Island\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dalene Kooper LU\u0308DERITZ \u2013 The Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA) is calling on the government to block ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Namibia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-14T14:23:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-14T15:15:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/nambia\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/sm_1776166781.151598.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"\u2018Hands off Shark Island\u2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-14T14:23:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-14T15:15:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island\"},\"wordCount\":491,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/nambia\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/sm_1776166781.151598.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"namibia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"community\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/hands-off-shark-island\",\"name\":\"\u2018Hands off Shark Island\u2019 - 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