Namibian land grabs called off
2003-11-07 08:06
Windhoek - The Namibian Farmworkers Union has called off plans to move onto white-owned commercial farms next week in the southern African country.
"Our previous decision to share land on commercial farms where our union members have been evicted from, is postponed, pending ongoing discussions with the government and the NAU (Namibia Agricultural Union)," secretary general Alfred Angula told reporters.
He said his union would meet Friday with the NAU, the umbrella body of all commercial farmers in the country.
"We reiterate our dissatisfaction with the slow pace at which the land redistribution programme is progressing," Angula added.
The threat two days earlier to "settle" union members on 15 identified commercial farms drew strong criticism from the National Society of Human Rights.
The Namibian police had warned on Wednesday that they were ready to take action if laws were violated.
The government said on Thursday it remained committed to the concept of land transfers, based on both buyers and sellers being willing parties, to resettle landless citizens.
"While the process has been slow, the government remains committed to handle the matter in a just and lawful manner," said a statement from the ministry of information and broadcasting.
"The government will further not tolerate lawlessness and unilateral decisions that could unsettle and reverse the progress made so far with regard to land distribution," it added.
According to government statistics, 37 262 people - 6 210 families - have been resettled in communal areas and on commercial farms.
A total of 4 706 families were resettled in communal areas and 1 504 families on 120 commercial farms bought by the government.
- SAPA