Fifth mass grave uncovered

2005-11-18 18:50

Johannesburg - A fifth mass grave has been found in northern Namibia.

It is near the town of Ondangwa, once a major base of the former South African Defence Force (SADF).

The grave is only a kilometre away from where a forensic team confirmed the discovery of a fourth mass grave earlier on Friday.

Three others have also been found near another former SADF base at Eenhana, close to the Angolan border.

Forensic experts cannot disclose how many bodies of People's Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) fighters have been recovered.

They are confident that more mass graves will be found in the next few days. The remains of seven people have been found so far.

Former military bases singled out

The United Nations says it has not been asked by either the Namibian or South African governments to investigate.

However, a former UN official has noted a Swapo incursion into Namibia on April 1, 1989. The UN authorised the South African troops to leave their bases to deal with the issue.

The Namibian newspaper has reported that police in the Oshana and Ohangwena regions have been sent to four former SA Army and police bases to search for more mass graves. The sites are based on information from the public.

Governor of Ohangwena, Usko Nghaamwa, told The Namibian that the officers were digging at sites pointed out by informants.

He said some people who had served in the former SADF and Koevoet police counter-insurgency unit had responded to Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba's call for information on mass burials during the liberation struggle.

They singled out the former military bases at Okakwa, Ongha and Onhuno, near the town of Ohangwena, as well as the old Koevoet base at Omungwelume, also in the Ohangwena Region.

"The media will be informed as soon as we have discovered something," said Nghaamwa.

- SAPA