Denver Isaacs
6 July 2009
A POLICE presence was needed all weekend at a privately owned farm outside Windhoek after at least 300 people, claiming roots there, decided to "return home".
The group of men, woman, children and the elderly drove with all their belongings to the Ongombo East Farm, situated near Neudamm outside of Windhoek on Friday night, bent on ousting the Italian owner of the land.
By yesterday afternoon, Police threats and consultation with the Namibia Farm Workers Union (Nafwu) appeared to have appeased the situation.
According to a spokesperson for the //Naosan /Aes (Our Ancestor's Fire) group, Sululu Isaacks, their conflict with farm owner Nadia Savoldelli started back in April with the death of one of the elders amongst them.
"My mother died at age 73, after 10 years of suffering with cancer. Her only wish was to be buried with the rest of her family," Isaacks said.
The group, she said, all claim origin from the neighbouring farms of Ongombo East and West, which at the time of departure, had been owned by two German nationals.
Since then however, Government has bought Ongombo West as a resettlement farm, while Ongombo East has become a close corporation in the hands of the current owner.
They eventually succeeded in having the old woman buried on a piece of cemetery land on the farm, where, according to the group, many of their ancestors and elders lie buried.
"I'm coming from five generations back. You can walk through that burial ground and you will see the same surnames on the tombstones there throughout," said Isaacks.
She said the group had become increasingly agitated over their alleged treatment at the hands of the new farm owner, and have thus decided "its us or her now".They were however stopped in their tracks by Police who arrived on the scene shortly after they settled, and who chased them off the woman's property.
The group were moved to a piece of land just beyond, which is Government owned, where they have since cleared the area and put up tents.
Police have been guarding Ongombo East since Saturday to make sure they stay out.
By early yesterday, group members spoken to were adamant that the weekend would not pass without them gaining access to the land.
After consultation with the union however, Isaacks said they had decided to remain at the new camp until next week, when the union is expected to advise them again.
The Namibian was unable to make contact with Savoldelli over the weekend.
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