Graves: Namibia asks for help
2005-11-23 09:44
Windhoek - Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba has requested South Africa send forensic experts to help investigate apartheid-era mass graves recently found in the north of the country, an official said.
Namibian Safety and Security Minister Peter Tsheehama said late on Tuesday that Pohamba sent a letter to Pretoria asking for help to conduct investigations, according to the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
"President Pohamba sent a letter asking for forensic experts from South Africa to help with the forensic police work," Tsheehama said.
Two mass graves were found earlier this month at a former SA military base near the village of Eenhana some 850km northeast of Windhoek and three more were found at the weekend after locals informed the police.
Pohamba visited the site of the mass grave at Eenhana shortly after their discovery and called on former soldiers of both sides of the liberation struggle to come forward with more information.
During Namibia's fight for independence several hundred members of the local Owambo-speaking communities served in the notorious "Koevoet" (Afrikaans for "crowbar") unit of SA's apartheid police, fighting against their fellow citizens.
On Monday SA Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla said her country would cooperate with Namibian authorities after meeting with her Namibian counterpart Pendukeni Ivula-Ithana in Pretoria, who is on a four-day visit to South Africa.