Ancestral land in spotlight as Hai//Om San meet
OTJIWARONGO - More than 30 traditional leaders and community members from the Hai//Om San areas of Outjo, Tsumeb, Otavi and Grootfontein are gathered for a two-day conference at Otjiwarongo to discuss matters related to ancestral land ownership.
The San community members in attendance are mostly from the traditional leadership of the Kai!Khoen, #Haub and Gogara Hai//Om San traditional authorities.
Traditional leader, Gaob Willem /Aib from Outjo, officially opened the conference on Saturday morning, saying he was thrilled to see his fellow Hai//Om San members from different places attending it.
“Your presence here is very important as this conference will discuss the future of your next generation,” he noted.
/Aib said most of the Hai//Om San community members originate from the areas of Etosha, where the national and private game parks have established themselves for commercial and tourism activities.
He added that issues of ancestral land claims and land rights need government’s attention, as some communities like the Hai//Om San do not have any communal land where they can settle and live in as their villages.
/Aib asked why since independence, the Hai//Om San community members still do not have any communal land in Namibia?
He then urged the youthful Hai//Om San community members attending the conference to strongly advocate for communal land ownership, or to continue calling on government to give back their ancestral land, which is found in the Etosha National Park.
“If this landless situation continues, then start up a political party that would fight for your ancestral land rights and also represent you in Parliament, where laws are made”,’ he urged, adding that the current laws are not in their favour.
He then called on the traditional leaders and community members present to participate actively in the conference, which ended yesterday.